“I follow him and try to copy him” - Rinku Singh opens up on his idol and inspiration
Team India batter Rinku Singh has revealed that former Men in Blue batter Suresh Raina is his idol and inspiration. He added that he tries to copy and follow Raina and seeks advice from the latter.
26-year-old Rinku came to prominence following his exploits as a finisher for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 season.
The left-hander smashed 474 runs in 14 matches at an average of 59.25 and a strike rate of 149.53, with four half-centuries. Following his impressive performances in IPL 2023, he was drafted into the Indian T20I squad.
In an interview to timesofindia.com, Rinku opened up on the huge role that Raina has played in his success.
"I am a huge fan of Suresh Raina bhaiya. I follow him and try to copy him. He has played a big role in my life and career,” Rinku said.
Hailing the former India batter for helping him out unconditionally, the rising Team India star added:
“He helped me with the bat, pads and everything I needed while playing cricket. He has sent almost everything without asking or saying anything. Whenever I am in doubt, I call Raina bhaiya. He is more than a big brother to me.
"He has taught me how to handle pressure. He says time le, 4-5 ball le, settle ho, fir apne haath khol (Take 4-5 balls to settle down and then shift to top gear). Those tips and learnings helped me a lot during IPL and now for India too," Rinku added.
The left-handed batter played a crucial role in India’s win in the first T20I against Australia, hitting 22* off 14 as India chased down 209.
“Those five sixes changed my life” - Rinku Singh on IPL 2023 heroics against GT
In a league match against Gujarat Titans (GT) during IPL 2023, Rinku clobbered five consecutive sixes off Yash Dayal to become a cricketing sensation overnight. The batter admitted in the interview that the five sixes changed his life.
"It took a while to sink in. Yes, those five sixes changed my life. That match and those five sixes have played a big role in my career. It is not easy to hit five sixes in an over. It is very rare. It was special because my team was chasing and I was the last hope for a win,” he commented.
In the match played at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, KKR needed 29 runs off the last over. Rinku slammed five consecutive sixes to lift Kolkata to a famous win.