File image of Rinku Singh.© AFP
Despite being a consistent run-scorer for Team India and boasting a remarkable average and strike-rate, Rinku Singh was left out of the nation's 15-man T20 World Cup 2024 squad after a patchy IPL 2024 with Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). However, Rinku has now revealed the words of encouragement that India captain Rohit Sharma gave him after he was dropped. Despite winning IPL with KKR, Rinku was left out as India went for four spin options, instead including him as a travelling reserve.
"He (Rohit Sharma) came to me and said that it is okay, I'm still young, and there are many more tournaments to come. There is a World Cup every two years, so I shouldn't be disappointed by this but focus on my game instead," Rinku said in an interview to News24.
Immediately after the tournament, Rinku was included in India's five-match T20I tour of Zimbabwe, where he played in every single game as a middle-order batter. After that, he starred in the T20I series away at Sri Lanka, surprisingly impressing with the ball, picking up two wickets in the penultimate over of the final T20I to turn the game in India's favour.
Presently, Rinku boasts an average of nearly 60 and a strike rate of 174 in 17 T20I innings for India. Remarkably, he has stayed not out in 10 of the 17 innings.
Rinku also acknowledged Virat Kohli's style of leadership.
"I like Virat Kohli as well because aggression is very important while leading a team. So, his captaincy was also very good," he said. Rinku had recently revealed that he would like to play for Kohli's franchise Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) if he is not retained by KKR.
Rinku is currently playing in the Uttar Pradesh T20 League (UP T20), where he is captaining Meerut Mavericks. He has not been included in any of the four squads for the Duleep Trophy to be held in September.