Twentysixyearold Rinku Singh performances in the limited T20I games for India present a conundrum. With just fifteen matches (11 innings to be more precise) evaluating any player seems too little a sample size. Yet its hard to ignore his exceptional talent leaving the impression that hes a natural fit for the big league.
Making his debut against Ireland in Dublin in August 2023 the southpaw has racked up 356 runs at an average of 89 boasting a phenomenal strike rate of 176.23 and clinching two halfcenturies. Remaining not out on seven occasions out of 11 what truly shines through in Rinku Singh brief international stint is his unflappable demeanor in highpressure situations.
In his maiden T20I bat against Ireland in Dublin, the southpaw struck 38 off 21 and won Player of the Match. Of course, one might argue that the knock came against Ireland, but for someone batting in an international cricket match for the first time, it was still a noteworthy effort with three sixes and two fours.
Then, in the Asian Games 2023 quarterfinal in Hangzhou, Rinku Singh scored 37* off 15 against Nepal, smashing two fours and four sixes. Additionally, the 26-year-old contributed with 22* off 14 against Australia in Visakhapatnam before detractors could point out that the results were against lower-tier teams in a major pursuit of 209.
Although 360-degree hitter Suryakumar Yadav stole the show with 80 off 42, Rinku Singh was the man who got the Men in Blue over the finish line, remaining calm even as India continued to lose wickets on the other end. Even seasoned players sometimes lose their composure under pressure, yet he pinpointed boundaries in this scenario.
Proving his versatility he unleashed a sensational blitz by smashing 31 runs off just nine balls when Team India batted first in the subsequent game at Thiruvananthapuram. Recalling his fierce attack on Yash Dayal in IPL 2023 Rinku Singh aggressively hammered Sean Abbott for two fours and three sixes in the penultimate over. Continuing his magnificent form in the following match the lefthander blazed his way to 46 runs off 29 balls as the Men in Blue once again took the first batting turn.
In his T20I career thus far, Rinku Singh has only been dismissed in single digits once. In the fifth T20I against Australia in Bengaluru, he was outscored six times out of eight.
Rinku Singh shines in his T20I debut against South Africa
The first significant international test for the Uttar Pradesh batter unfolded during South Africa’s T20I series. The first match didn’t happen due to rain. However, in the subsequent game, his performance was stellar. He scored an impressive 68* off just 39 balls in Gqeberha, hitting nine boundaries and two sixes.
After winning the toss, the Proteas asked the visiting team to bat first in the game. India had a terrible start, losing their first two batsmen, Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal, for ducks. To boost Team India, Rinku and Suryakumar (56 off 36) scored 70 runs for the fourth wicket.
Once again, Rinku showed off his big-hitting range, able to reach the boundaries against both spin and speed with ease. In one over, he gave Andile Phehlukwayo three fours.
He grabbed control when Suryakumar was dismissed and hit Lizaad Williams for three boundaries in one over. Then he hit Aiden Markram for two consecutive sixes in the penultimate over. Rinku demonstrated with the knock that while he is skilled at providing support, he is also capable of taking the initiative when necessary.
Rinku Singh remained undefeated in all three Twenty20 Internationals of the home series against Afghanistan, despite getting bowled out for 14 in the third T20I against the Proteas in Johannesburg. In the first two T20Is in Bengaluru, he scored 16* off 9 and 9 off 9*. In the third T20I, he produced an incredible 69* off 39.
India, having conceded four wickets for twenty-two runs, were under extreme strain. Rinku, however, showed himself to be a capable partner for captain Rohit Sharma (121* off 69), as the two combined for an uninterrupted 190 runs for the fifth wicket.
Of course, Rohit Sharma was Team India’s standout batsman of the match, but Rinku’s outstanding effort—three straight sixes off the final three balls of the innings, another stunning display of the finisher’s clean-hitting ability at the end of the game—was essential to the hosts’ victory.
Rinku’s T20I journey has just begun. He’s bound to encounter tougher battles, really trying his character. However, seeing how the batsman has managed his duties so far, it would be quite shocking if he doesn’t excel in future tests, even under brighter spotlights.