In the sixteenth edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL), Kolkata Knight Rider’s (KKR) Rinku Singh had a remarkable performance, marking his best-ever outing in the tournament’s history. Rinku accumulated a total of 474 runs across 14 matches while representing KKR in IPL 2023. However, it was not just the quantity of runs that mattered, but also the pace at which he scored them and the challenging situations in which he contributed. Rinku maintained an impressive strike rate of 149.53 throughout IPL 2023.
Rinku Singh delivered his standout performance of the season in KKR’s final league game against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG). In this match, Rinku played a remarkable innings of 67 not out off just 33 balls, showcasing his skills and determination to keep his team in the game until the very end. Despite KKR’s narrow loss by a solitary run, Rinku received accolades for his courageous knock. Now that KKR has been eliminated from the tournament, and as the Uttar Pradesh cricketer prepares to return home, he reflected on his journey throughout IPL 2023 and talked about receiving advice from MS Dhoni.
Rinku Singh received advice from MS Dhoni
“I have got used to this. During the CSK game I had a chat with Mahi bhai (Dhoni) on how to handle the close finishes. He said ‘Let the bowler do what he wants, you stand and focus on finishing’,” Rinku said.
“I don’t look for innovations and try to play to my strengths. I always remember what Mahi bhai had advised which was ‘if you look to play straight, it would be better’,” he added.
Rinku Singh holds great admiration for renowned cricketers such as MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli. However, when it comes to his idol, the Uttar Pradesh cricketer looks up to none other than his state’s own southpaw, Suresh Raina. When asked if he has emulated any particular batsman in his style of play, Rinku promptly mentioned Raina’s name, indicating the influence and inspiration he draws from the fellow left-handed batsman.
“I follow Suresh Raina bhai. He is my idol. Because of him I started playing cricket,” he said.
