Rinku Singh rose to fame as a finisher with the Kolkata Knight Riders in the Indian Premier League (IPL) this year.
The 25-year-old memorably hammered five sixes in the final over against the Gujarat Titans to help his team over the finish line. The stunning knock soon positioned him as one of the most recent household stars in the IPL.
His exploits against the Titans earned him the label of “finisher,” but the Uttar Pradesh batter is much more than that. Rinku Singh has accumulated 407 runs at an average of 50.88 and a strike rate of 143.31 in his maiden full season in the cash-rich competition.
He showed that he’s more than just a finisher, which was his role when the season started.
On May 14, he scored his third half-century of the season against the CSK. Rinku ultimately led his team across the finish line alongside his captain, Nitish Rana, exhibiting amazing temperament and character.
Let’s look at three reasons why the left-hander is more than simply a finisher:
1) Rinku Singh has demonstrated his temperament
Kolkata were 33/3 on the powerplay, chasing a target of 145 versus CSK. The run chase was never going to be easy for them on a tough surface in a loud Chepauk, especially the way they lost their top order.
However, it only needed one partnership to finish the job for them. Rinku Singh came in to bat alongside skipper Nitish Rana, and the two put up a 99-run partnership to basically seal the deal for their team.
Both batters had tremendous maturity and awareness of the chase, playing the situation to perfection. Their temperament shows that they are not bound by set duties on the side and are eager to put their hands up when the big times arise.
2) Rinku Singh’s domestic stats are excellent.
Rinku Singh may be getting more attention for his talent today, but he has always done his part, even when he was flying under the radar. The UP batsman has been banging up runs for fun on the domestic circuit.
In the 2018-19 Ranji Trophy, he was the third-highest run scorer with 953 runs in 10 innings, including 4 hundred. He scored 2875 runs at an average of 59.89 in 40 first-class matches and 1749 runs at an average of 53.00 in 50 List A matches.
He plays an important role for his side on the home circuit, taking on a lot more responsibility and typically prospering under pressure. He’s merely continuing that form into the IPL this season.
3) he is becoming a skilled run chaser.
Regardless of his role in the side, Rinku Singh is an excellent player. People often see him as a finisher because he often ends the game for the team.
But he’s not just a finisher; he’s a full-time batsman.
In the six matches, KKR has chased this season, its greatest batter has scored 4, 48 not out, 58 not out, 53 not out, 21 not out, and 54. Rinku Singh has proven that he is a player for big moments and thrives under the pressure of doing the right thing for his side.
Rinku would be a great finisher even if he was only a finisher. The fact is that he is an excellent player who works hard and makes critical contributions. Plus, he finishes the job himself, which is really hard in this sport.