Rinku Singh, a Team India hitter, has said that former Men in Blue batter Suresh Raina is his hero and inspiration. He went on to say that he tries to imitate Raina and gets counsel from her.
Rinku, 26, rose to attention as a finisher for the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 season.
The left-hander scored 474 runs in 14 matches, with four half-centuries, at an average of 59.25 and a strike rate of 149.53. Following his outstanding achievements in the IPL 2023, he was called up to the Indian T20I team.
Rinku Singh revealed to timesofindia.com the significant impact Raina has had in his career.
“I am a huge fan of Suresh Raina bhaiya. I follow him and try to copy him. He has played a big role in my life and career.”
Rinku Singh
The young Team India star thanked the former India batter for his unflinching assistance, adding:
“He helped me with the bat, pads and everything I needed while playing cricket. He has sent almost everything without asking or saying anything. Whenever I am in doubt, I call Raina bhaiya. He is more than a big brother to me.
“He has taught me how to handle pressure. He says time le, 4-5 ball le, settle ho, fir apne haath khol (Take 4-5 balls to settle down and then shift to top gear). Those tips and learnings helped me a lot during IPL and now for India too.”
Rinku Singh
The left-handed hitter was instrumental in India’s victory against Australia in the first T20I, striking 22* off 14 balls as India chased down 209.
“Those five sixes changed my life” – Rinku Singh recalls his IPL 2023 exploits against GT
Rinku became an overnight cricketing sensation when clobbered five consecutive sixes off Yash Dayal in a league match against Gujarat Titans (GT) during IPL 2023. In an interview, the batter stated that the five sixes altered his life.
“It took a while to sink in. Yes, those five sixes changed my life. That match and those five sixes have played a big role in my career. It is not easy to hit five sixes in an over. It is very rare. It was special because my team was chasing and I was the last hope for a win.”
Rinku Singh
KKR needed 29 runs off the last over of the contest at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Rinku hit five straight sixes to lead Kolkata to a memorable victory.