Rinku Singh is a member of India’s squad, who is presently competing in the 2025 Asia Cup in the UAE. However, the courageous left-handed batter has yet to see action. He is competing for a berth in the playing XI against Shivam Dube and Tilak Varma. Both players have performed well in India’s opening two games, but Rinku may have to wait a little longer to play his first Asia Cup match.
Rinku got his India debut in August 2023 after demonstrating his talent with the Uttar Pradesh squad and the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) setup. The Aligarh native has been with the KKR club since 2018. Rinku did not have many opportunities to play in the IPL during his early years. However, the Kolkata-based club believed in his potential and waited for the appropriate moment to play him consistently in the centre of the order.
Rinku Singh recounted an event from 2021 in which he wounded himself during a domestic match versus Railways.
He received a knee injury while attempting a double. Rinku stated that his main concern was not the pain or severity of the injury, but if he would miss the upcoming season of the IPL.
“KKR backed me at my worst. There was a time I was fearing the worst after my knee injury in 2021. I was batting against Railways, wearing new shoes and spikes. I tapped my bat for a quick double and instantly heard a crack — I just fell to the ground,” Rinku said while speaking on a podcast with Raj Shamani.
“My first thought was about being ruled out. At that time, my contract was worth ₹80 lakh, and in those circumstances, that money was important to me. An MRI revealed it was a meniscus tear,” he added.
The diminutive cricketer then underwent surgery and spent almost four months in rehab before returning to the domestic circuit. Rinku expressed his gratitude to KKR for showing trust in his abilities as he embarked on the road to a comeback.
“Even though I did well in the domestic circuit, I wasn’t sure if I would be picked again. That year, both KKR and LSG were bidding for me, and eventually, KKR bought me for ₹55 lakh. That’s when I felt I had another chance to prove myself,” he said.
The 27-year-old has played 58 matches for KKR, scoring 1099 runs at an average of 30.53 and a strike rate of 145.18. In T20Is, he has aggregated 546 runs from 24 innings at an average of 42 and a strike rate of 161.07.
India
