"When he came to play for UP at the start, I didn't think he would have such a big impact on cricket" - RP Singh on Rinku Singh after 2nd T20I vs BAN
RP Singh has lauded Rinku Singh for making an impact beyond his expectations. He pointed out that his fellow Uttar Pradesh player's dedication and discipline have helped him improve his game and be successful for India.
Rinku smashed 53 runs off 29 deliveries as India set Bangladesh a 222-run target in the second T20I in Delhi on Wednesday, October 9. The Men in Blue then restricted the Bangla Tigers to 135/9 to register a resounding 86-run win and take a 2-0 lead in the three-match series.
While reviewing the game on Colors Cineplex, RP Singh was asked how Rinku Singh consistently delivers under pressure for India.
"When he became a part of the UP team at the start, firstly it's not easy to play for the UP team, and playing and giving performances is even more difficult. You need to be slightly mentally tough because it's a big state and has a lot of players," he responded.
"To be honest, when he came to play for UP at the start, I didn't think he would have such a big impact on cricket. I knew he was a very gritty player, fields very well, puts in the effort all the time, and tries to play big innings," the former India pacer added.
RP Singh pointed out that Rinku has shown a marked improvement in his game against the seamers.
"He had the ability but I always felt that he would take time to improve against pace bowling. However, he kept raising the bar and came here after becoming a different player. He worked very hard. He is extremely dedicated and disciplined in his life," he observed.
Rinku Singh joined Nitish Kumar Reddy (74 off 34) in the middle when India were reduced to 41/3 after 5.3 overs. The duo stitched together a 108-run partnership to bail the team out of trouble and put them in an advantageous position.
"Once he gets adjusted to the pace and bounce of the wicket, he picks his bowlers" - RP Singh on Rinku Singh
In the same discussion, RP Singh reflected on a conversation with Rinku Singh where the latter spoke about his approach.
"I spoke to him when I was covering some matches in Dehradun. He won two back-to-back matches for UP. I asked him how he planned his innings. He told me that he tries to play at a run-a-ball at the start. Once he gets adjusted to the pace and bounce of the wicket, he picks his bowlers," he said.
The cricketer-turned-commentator disclosed that Rinku told him he doesn't like taking the game to the last over while chasing.
"The best part is that he told me that he doesn't wait till the 20th over because he doesn't want to play the 20th over as he feels that he should finish the game by the 19th over while chasing. So he plans something like that. He doesn't want to take the pressure of the match going to the last ball of the 20th over," RP Singh stated.
Rinku has smashed 471 runs at a strike rate of 175.09 in 18 T20I innings. All three of his half-centuries came when India were in a spot of bother.