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From five sixes to fading hopes: The rise and stall of Rinku Singh's T20I dream

Soumyajit Dutta

Rinku Singh [Source: @sajay_shaw_piku009/X.com]Rinku Singh [Source: @sajay_shaw_piku009/X.com]

Rinku Singh, a name that emerged during IPL 2023 for his almost unachievable and impossible batting heroics for the Kolkata Knight Riders, became an instant sensation. 

The City of Joy, Kolkata, was soon covered with posters of Rinku, his face dominating newspaper ads, TV screens, and brand campaigns. Overnight, Rinku Singh turned into a household name, showing immense promise with the bat and earning a spot in India’s T20I setup. 

However, the passion that followed the five consecutive sixes in IPL and the grit that emerged as a finisher for Rinku as probably the 'next MS Dhoni', went down the drain just a few years after he debuted for Team India. 

Rinku Singh's first match was against Ireland, where he came in to bat late and bagged a decent 38 off 21 balls in 2023. However, his recent outings haven’t added much to his portfolio as a T20I middle-to-late-order batter.

What made Rinku Singh hit the wall?

What is more concerning is that he is just a specialist lower-order batter with limited bowling skills, though he is an exceptional fielder as well. However, as modern cricket is evolving, Rinku Singh’s CV is probably not good enough for Gautam Gambhir & co. 

The part-time right-arm offbreak bowler has been auditioning for a place in the Indian T20I team, and though he has been named in the squad for the Asia Cup as well as the Australia T20Is, his appearances have been limited, and Gautam Gambhir’s strategy with players also reflects that.

Rinku Singh is quite familiar with Gautam Gambhir and his mentoring style since he was with the India coach in the KKR dugout in 2024 when KKR lifted the trophy. Yet, as India’s T20 philosophy stands right now, Gambhir is playing eight solid-to-decently capable batters in the ranks, which speaks of the aggressive intent that India vehemently underlines.

What is more troubling for Rinku here is that he hasn’t been given an opportunity to bowl in an international match where he could prove his worth as an all-rounder. Rinku Singh tried his luck in the UP T20 League, where he captained Meerut Mavericks and showcased his spin skills, yet it wasn’t enough to impress the selectors. 

The 'no-brainer' no place for Rinku

Currently, options like Harshit Rana, who is a specialist pacer, have also chipped in with some valuable runs with the bat in the ongoing Australia T20I series. If he is out on the bench, Washington Sundar has been called in, as seen in the third T20I.

Meanwhile, Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakaravarthy are the two pillars of spin for India in T20Is, with Axar Patel having a better strike rate with the ball and more credibility than Rinku, making him the obvious choice as a third spinner in the team. 

In case Kuldeep Yadav sits out, Washington Sundar replaces him, which leaves Rinku with nothing but zero hopes to revive his chances as a spin bowling all-rounder.

Shivam Dube was probably the only possible swap for Rinku, but that too, when the CSK star wasn’t bowling. Dube’s current stature as a pace-bowling all-rounder also eats up any chance of Rinku’s redemption. 

End of the road for Rinku?

Rinku Singh perhaps had the ability to be a strong finisher at the end with his calm and composed batting style. However, with the current demand for multitasking and multiple skills, his chances seem limited for now. 

Unless Rinku performs another miracle in a miraculous call-up from the selectors, it is quite safe to say that Rinku's T20I days are over.