Former India wicketkeeper-batter Kiran More believes uncapped left-handed batter Rinku Singh has the potential to become a brilliant finisher, just like legendary batters MS Dhoni and Yuvraj Singh.
Rinku Singh emerged as a spectacular finisher for the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) during the IPL 2023 season. One of the outstanding moments was his fantastic performance against the Gujarat Titans, where he hammered five consecutive sixes off the deliveries from pacer Yash Dayal. This stunning showing clinched an improbable victory for his side in Ahmedabad.
Throughout the competition, Rinku proved his skill, accumulating a total of 474 runs in 14 matches. His strike rate of 149.53 underlined his ability to score efficiently. His role as the designated finisher for KKR contributed substantial value to the team’s performance.
Rinku’s strike rate was particularly spectacular over the vital final five overs of the innings, which rose to an amazing 186.66. This feat represented a new record for an Indian batter in the IPL, showing his extraordinary contribution to the league.
“I have been waiting for his opportunity in the Indian team. And that batting position, of No.5 and 6, he will perform well in that spot and can end up being a brilliant finisher. We all have seen MS Dhoni and Yuvraj Singh. After that we haven’t got a player like them,” Kiran More said in a conversation with Jio Cinema.
Last Friday, Rinku Singh made his debut for the Indian T20I team in the series opener against Ireland. Unfortunately, due to rain, he didn’t have the chance to bat, leading to the visitors winning by two runs through the DLS method.
“We tried making such players, but it didn’t work so far. Tilak Varma is also there, he too can perform that role. Rinku is also a brilliant fielder. And I have seen him in domestic cricket as well, he has improved a lot I feel,” added More, a former chief selector.
Abhishek Nayak also believes that Rinku Singh can become the next Finisher
Agreeing with More’s perspective, Abhishek Nayar, the assistant coach of the Kolkata Knight Riders, who has had close contact with Rinku for the past six years, stressed that the left-handed batsman is well-suited to hold the batting positions of five or six in T20 International matches.
“With Hardik Pandya transforming into a role of a batter and playing higher up the order, you need someone down the order who can finish off the job for you. You did have someone like Axar Patel for it, but Rinku is tailor-made.”
“He has been a prolific run-getter across formats in domestic cricket. It is just about grooming him and constantly giving those opportunities. The last player India had tagged as a finisher was Dinesh Karthik.”
