CHENNAI: That unforgettable last over bowled by Yash Dayal for Gujarat Titans at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad during the 2023 Indian Premier League (IPL) changed everything for Rinku Singh. Needing 28 off the last five balls, the left-hand batter went 6, 6, 6, 6 and 6 to script a memorable win for Kolkata Knight Riders, a sequence that will remain etched in memories of the fans forever.
Only a few months later he got an India call-up. Soon, he became an integral part of the T20I set up. After making his debut in the format against Ireland in Dublin on August 18, 2023, he featured in all 17 matches India played before the start of the 2024 T20 World Cup. With the 2024 IPL edition preceding the World Cup, another good show in the league could have cemented his place in the team but that didn't happen.
Unlike 2023, where he scored 474 runs from 14 innings with a strike rate of 149.52, Rinku could manage only 168 runs from 11 innings at a SR of 148.67 even as KKR went on to win their third title.
The team management cited their preference for all-rounders over specialist batters as a reason for the southpaw's exclusion from the squad of 15. He, however, found a place in travelling reserves. "Whatever happened is fine. Rohit Bhaiya did not say anything special. He only said to just keep working hard. There is a World Cup again after two years. There is no need to worry too much," Rinku had said in an interview to a Hindi daily after the snub.
As the former India skipper told him, Rinku's chance did come when he found a place in the squad for the 2026 edition, which the co-hosts won to bag a record third title. With the management preferring a specific combination, Rinku once again got limited opportunities as he featured only in five matches scoring 24 runs.
If the below-par show on the field was not enough, the 28-year-old fought serious personal battles off the field with his father, battling liver cancer, first getting admitted in the ICU and then passing away during the tournament. The tragedy must have shaken him to the core but Rinku decided to stay with the team. He did take a short break to be by his father's side when his condition deteriorated and did the same in a gap of a few days to perform the last rites.
Post the turmoil in his life and after a winners' medal, Rinku once again has the chance to be the main man for his franchise. This will be his ninth season with the three-time champions and unlike the past, he will be one of the experienced campaigners for his team and could even be looked at as an option for leadership opportunities in the future.
"He has gone through a lot in the past few days but is determined to make it count in this IPL. He told me that during a brief conversation we had during one of his visits to Aligarh," Masooduz Zafar Amini, Rinku's childhood coach, told this daily. Amini, who played a key role in developing Rinku as a cricketer, said the personal problems could be one of the reasons behind his ward's not so impressive show in the World Cup but added Rinku's batting position usually did not give him time to settle in and score big.
"That's his role (finisher) and it hardly gives him an opportunity to spend some time at the crease. It's not easy to start hitting from the first ball but he has been doing that both for the country and KKR for years now. One needs to look that way as well. Now he is one of the few seniors in the side and I hope he gets to bat up the order," said the coach.
In the last season where he scored 206 runs from 11 innings, only thrice he batted at No 5 or above (two times at No 5 and one time at No 4). Six times he batted at No 6 and once he batted at No 7 and 8 respectively. Nonetheless, his position cannot be held completely responsible for his meagre returns as on quite a few occasions he came out to bat with at least seven overs remaining. Amini sounded confident when he said Rinku will change it this time around. "He is also in contention for leadership which shows the faith the management has in him. I am sure he will come good this season," signed off the coach.
