India batter Rinku Singh has credited former captain MS Dhoni for helping him maintain his calmness in pressure situations, which was evident during his performance in the first T20I against Australia in Visakhapatnam. Rinku played the role of a finisher, hitting the winning runs in the final over and leading India to a two-wicket victory. In a BCCI video after the match, Rinku revealed that he had discussions with Dhoni about staying calm, particularly in the last over. Dhoni advised him to remain as calm as possible and focus on the bowler. Although Rinku didn’t mention when these discussions took place, he applied Dhoni’s advice in the game.
India was faced with a challenging target of 209 runs and was struggling at 154 for 4 in the 15th over when Rinku came to bat. With captain Suryakumar Yadav supporting him from the other end, Rinku remained composed and played smart cricket by rotating the strike and attacking loose deliveries. The 26-year-old batsman from Uttar Pradesh remained not out on 22 runs off 14 balls, hitting four fours at a strike rate of 157.14.
After the match, Rinku expressed his satisfaction with the win and his focus on performing well when he stepped onto the field. He also mentioned the importance of playing alongside Suryakumar Yadav and staying calm in pressure situations. In the final delivery, Rinku hit a six off Sean Abbott but later discovered that it was a no-ball. Despite the six not being counted, Rinku emphasized that the victory was more important.
Rinku gained attention during his time in the Indian Premier League (IPL). He initially played for Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings) in IPL 2017 and has been a part of the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) since 2018. He showcased his skills in IPL 2022, and his impressive performance in the 2023 season, where he hit five sixes in an over against the Gujarat Titans, further highlighted his abilities. Rinku has scored 725 runs in 31 IPL matches, with an average of 36.25 and a strike rate of 142.16, including four half-centuries.
Following his consistent performances, Rinku earned a call-up to the Indian national team during the Ireland T20I tour in August. Although he has only played three T20I matches so far, he has scored 97 runs at an average of 97.0 and a strike rate of 194.0.
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