‘Build the man a statue’: Australian commentator Mark Howard said this line on air when Scott Boland picked up a six-wicket haul on his debut, against England in The Ashes. That was December 2021 Down Under. But in 2023, Mark’s words suit perfectly to describe the greatness of Rinku Singh, rather ‘Finisher Rinku’.
A month after pulling off the greatest heist in IPL history against Gujarat Titans in Ahmedabad, the UP cricketer did something similar on Monday night. But this time, the action unfolded at the Eden Gardens. After Andre Russell’s blazing strokeplay in the penultimate over, KKR needed 6 more runs to earn 2 more points in the league. But as this IPL has been so far, the drama was meant to be unfolded in the final over.
Russell was run out on the fifth ball, leaving Rinku to score 2 off the last one. PBKS’ Arshdeep Singh bowled a full toss which Rinku flicked to the right of deep backward square leg for four runs. KKR went up to the fifth spot, surpassing RCB, Punjab, and Mumbai on the tally.
Rinku the finisher
An uncapped player finishing games for his team under pressure – KKR have found a gem in Rinku. It has taken him years to develop a rapport of a dependable player. But it’s not just the IPL. The Aligarh batter has been doing it – finishing games – right from his budding years.
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In an exclusive interview with News18 Cricketnext, his coach Masood Uz Zafar Amini said Rinku has been a phenomenal finisher since his inter-school days.
“Around 13 years ago, he used to visit the sports stadium to watch cricket matches. I was a coach there. One day I noticed him and asked, ‘Why do you come every day?’ He said he wanted to play cricket," Amini told Cricketnext.
“At the same time, there was an inter-school cricket tournament was about to happen. The management of the tournament got to know about him. They approached him and asked him to play and he will be given admission to a good school. He participated in the tournament and scored 54 runs not out in 32 balls. Then I decided to work on him, he might play India one day. Because he used to finish the matches very well," he added.
Recalling his ward’s heroics against Gujarat Titans last month, Amini said after Rinku smashed the first two sixes, he had the belief that he would go for three more. He also revealed that Rinku could hit those shots so easily because he had practiced them before entering the tournament.
“After the first two sixes, I was sure that he will go for three more. He had practiced such shots a lot in the nets. He has trained himself to face short-pitched balls. In fact, he plays the same way in local-level matches as well.
“I even asked why was he practicing it so much. He said some of them are needed in the IPL at times," Amini said.
India Calling
Now that Rinku has lit up the IPL 2023 with his finishing skills, speculations around his India call-up will begin to pop up every now and then. Even Amini believes that his student is at a stage where he can bat for India as well.
“Abhi wo is level par aa chukka hai ki wo India represent kare. (He is at the level where he can represent his country at the highest level). Rest, we wish to see his donning the blue cap of Team India. And so does the entire Aligarh," Amini concluded.
Playing on the merit of the ball
After scoring an unbeaten 21 off 10 deliveries, Rinku echoed the same emotions, as his coach. Speaking in the post-match show, he said he didn’t think much about the last ball; neither did he while hitting those five sixes. It came out that way because he was prepared.
“I didn’t think about the last ball. Even when I hit those five sixes, I hadn’t thought much. I was playing on the merit of the ball. I had the belief in me that I could finish the game. I have got used to it, sometimes I bat at 5, sometimes at 6, or 7. So, I practice that way," Rinku said.
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