Former Indian cricketer and commentator Ravi Shastri had remarked that KKR batsman Rinku Singh was as strong as an ox during their first interaction in 2018.
It was the season when Rinku Singh was selected for the first time Kolkata Knight Riders at his base price, but it took more than three seasons for him to become a regular starter. It wasn’t until last season that Rinku became a household name for his antics as the franchise’s lower-mid finisher.
Rinku Singh has come into the IPL scene
The two-time champion had secured his services during the auctions for not more than Rs 50 lakhs but he could only provide a few brief glimpses in his first few seasons. Rinku Singh also had fewer chances to play for the Knight Riders as he only managed to play ten games in his first three seasons.
But starting with the 2022 season, things started to change. Rinku Singh has been supported for seven games for KKR this season and the powerful striker didn’t miss the opportunity to showcase his skills. The left-handed batsman managed to score 174 runs at a strike rate of almost 149, including 17 fours and 7 sixes.
Rinku’s stunning breakout season
Last season, Rinku Singh began performing regularly for the Knight Riders and thanks to this support, he was able to dispel any doubts about his talent. Rinku had his best season with the bat in IPL 2023 as he played all 14 of KKR’s league games with the same strike rate.
The 26-year-old managed to score 474 runs at an excellent average of 59.25. Half of Rinku Singh’s runs came via boundaries as he hit 31 fours and 29 sixes. This means that 298 of his 474 runs in the 2023 season came over boundaries.
His most impressive knock came in the last win against KKR Gujarat Titans with Rinku Yash Dayal smearing five sixes in a row. This completely changed his fortunes and he was then called up to the Indian national team. At the moment, he makes it into the KKR starting XI but is finding it difficult to get batting time because there are other batsmen in the team.
What did Ravi Shastri say about Rinku?
While speaking to the official IPL channel, Ravi Shastri recalled the first time he met Rinku Singh in 2018. Shastri had only words of praise for the batsman, claiming his physical strength was that of an ox and his mental strength was extremely resilient.
Ravi Shastri also claimed that Rinku Singh is very mature and his antics are such that youngsters are desperate to emulate him.
“I met Rinku Singh and kept commenting on how he looks at him from outside. When I first met him he was strong as an ox.”
“Very little baggage, excellent temperament and he has his head on his shoulders. He is so mature that he thinks clearly under pressure. Many of the other youngsters want to emulate him, sitting in the crowd and thinking, “These guys can do it, so can we.” – said Rinku via IPLT20.com.