"It's difficult to choose one, but still Rinku Singh" - Ashish Nehra on the youngster who impressed him the most in IND vs AUS T20I series
Ashish Nehra has chosen Rinku Singh as the youngster who impressed him the most in the recently concluded T20I series between India and Australia.
Rinku was dismissed cheaply in the Men in Blue's six-run win in the final T20I in Bengaluru on Sunday. However, he had an excellent overall run in the series, smashing 105 runs in four innings at an average of 52.50 and a strike rate of 175.00.
During a discussion on JioCinema, Nehra was asked to pick the most impressive youngster in the series, to which he responded:
"Everyone. It's difficult to choose one, but still Rinku Singh, because of the sort of knocks he has played, especially in the last (fourth) match. Rinku Singh is generally known for achieving the target when the team needs 50-60 runs after the 15th or 16th over."
The former India pacer pointed out that in the fourth T20I, Rinku played a role he is not usually known for. He elaborated:
"Here he had to play a different role and he showed that by doing it. You might talk as much as you want about the circumstances being easy, or the pitch being flat, but even that wasn't the case there."
Nehra added that the left-handed middle-order batter played responsibly and was judicious in his shot selection. He said:
"Wickets kept falling from the other end but he still held one end up and played strokes when it was required. There must be some reason for him being selected for the 50-over format."
Rinku has been picked in India's squad for the upcoming ODI series against South Africa. The Uttar Pradesh player has amassed 1844 runs at an impressive average of 49.83 in 50 List A innings and will hope to deliver the goods in international 50-over cricket as well.
"There was pressure but he still played his shots" - Amit Mishra on Rinku Singh
![Rinku Singh scored 46 runs off 29 deliveries in the fourth T20I. [P/C: AP]](https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2023/12/4b5da-17016729878782-1920.jpg?w=500)
Amit Mishra was further asked about Rinku Singh exhibiting maturity by adjusting his game according to the match situation, to which he replied:
"Absolutely, when he came to bat, wickets were falling. It was the first time he got to bat in the ninth over. He needed to stitch a partnership there. There was pressure but he still played his shots. He converted the loose balls into fours or sixes. He has matured very quickly but has worked a lot to get there."
Rinku walked out to bat when India were 63/3 in the ninth over in the fourth T20I. He added 48 and 56 runs with Ruturaj Gaikwad and Jitesh Sharma for the fourth and fifth wickets respectively to take the hosts to 174/9, which proved enough in the end.