3 reasons why Rinku Singh should bat higher up the order for KKR
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) suffered a 23-run loss against the Sunrisers Hyderabad in their fourth match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023. The Nitish Rana-led side played at their home ground, Eden Gardens, on Friday evening in a run-fest that saw them come out on the wrong side of the result.
After winning the toss and opting to field first, the hosts were put under the pump courtesy of a century from Harry Brook. His maiden century in the IPL propelled his side to a mammoth total of 228/4, giving KKR a target of 229.
In reply, KKR were in trouble, struggling at 20/3 at one stage in the powerplay before their captain managed to inject some life into the innings. The hosts managed to cling on and take the game deep courtesy of a half-century from Rinku Singh, but he couldn't repeat his heroics from the game against Gujarat Titans.
The loss turned out to be a narrow one for the hosts and there were a few talking points for KKR. One of them was the possibility of Rinku higher up the order. Here, we take a look at three reasons why he should be trusted to bat higher up the order.
#1 Rinku Singh is a man in-form
Rinku Singh has been on a whirlwind journey, rising through the ranks and becoming a household name in just one day. Such was the impact of his five sixes in the final over against the Gujarat Titans, that he's the man everyone will turn to when the going gets tough.
Rinku has been in fine form so far this season. With scores of 4, 46, 48* and 58*, the left-hander from Uttar Pradesh will want to carry on this form to make it a memorable season for himself and lay the marker for things to come.
#2 He can inject impetus into the innings
With his natural ability and attacking shot selection, Rinku can be lethal against spinners as well as pacers. His most notable shots have come against quicker bowlers in this tournament, but he also has the range of strokes to counter most spinners in the middle order.
The fact that he is a left-handed batter also gives Rinku an advantage in the middle with match-ups. Batting at an average of 78 and a strike rate of 175, KKR will want to ensure they give one of their best batters as many deliveries as they can in the middle.
#3 He can take some pressure off Andre Russell
It has been a rather ordinary tournament for Andre Russell with the bat so far. The West Indian all-rounder has recorded scores of 35, 0, 1 and 3 in the four matches played this season and is looking like a shadow of himself. He bowled for the first time in the tournament against the Sunrisers Hyderabad and took three wickets, but had to be helped off the field after suffering an injury.
Russell's injury, as well as his form with the bat, will be a concern for KKR. The team needs their ace all-rounder firing on all cylinders, but his campaign has been plagued with fitness concerns.
In such a situation, the team needs someone to ease the burden on his shoulders and Rinku could do just that if he bats higher up the order, allowing Russell to finish games lower down the order.