“It reminded me of someone, everyone knows the answer” - Suryakumar Yadav’s special praise for Rinku Singh over batting heroics
Team India’s captain for the T20I series against Australia, Suryakumar Yadav, indirectly hinted that Rinku Singh’s exploits in the lower order reminded him of the legendary MS Dhoni.
Having impressed for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) with the willow in IPL 2023, Rinku has carried his form into international cricket as well. He scored an unbeaten 22 off 14 deliveries in the first T20I in Visakhapatnam and followed it up with a blazing 31* off only nine balls in the second T20I in Thiruvananthapuram on Sunday.
Hailing the left-handed batter’s exploits, Suryakumar reserved special praise for Rinku at the post-match presentation and commented:
'When I saw Rinku come in to bat in the last game, the composure he showed was brilliant. It reminded me of someone. Everyone knows the answer.”
Rinku clubbed Australian pacer Sean Abbott for three fours and two sixes in the 19th over and smashed another boundary off Nathan Ellis in the final over.
Earlier, KKR’s assistant coach Abhishek Nayar had also commented that the southpaw seems to be following in the footsteps of Dhoni and Hardik Pandya as a finisher.
I practice as if I'm batting in the last five overs: Rinku Singh
Speaking about his batting exploits as a finisher, Rinku stated that he practices in the nets as per his role in the team.
"I bat in this number a lot. So, I am calm knowing this position. I know sometimes I will get 5-6 overs (to bat) or sometimes two overs. That's exactly how I practice, as if I'm batting in the last five. That's what VVS sir (V V S Laxman, India's coach for the T20I series) has also told me to train in the nets,” he explained.
Rinku went on to add that he doesn’t premeditate his strokes and plays a shot as per the ball on offer.
“I like to play each ball according to where it lands. I try to notice whether it's a slower ball or fast ball and I respond accordingly,” he concluded.
Rinku has smashed 128 runs in four T20I innings at a sensational strike rate of 216.94.