Rinku Singh spoke about playing as an Impact Player during KKR’s match against Rajasthan Royals on Tuesday.
Over the past few games in the 2024 Indian Premier League, Rinku Singh, the Kolkata Knight Riders star, has been used as an Impact Player. The youngster is used solely as a batter in the XI, raising doubts over KKR’s strategy. Rinku is known for his agility in the field, making significant contributions by stopping runs and effecting dismissals, and the fans were left scratching their heads over the puzzling situation around the player.
Kolkata Knight Riders’ Rinku Singh during the match against Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League 2024 (ANI)
However, Rinku has finally broken silence on the move, as he talked after the side’s dramatic defeat at the hands of the Rajasthan Royals on Tuesday. Rinku was used as an Impact Player in the match and spoke about the reason during the post-match press conference.
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“I had a niggle, I will be back to playing the full match against RCB on Sunday,” he said.
Rinku burst into the limelight with his incredible five successive sixes during the match against Gujarat Titans last year; needing 28 runs to win off five deliveries, Rinku smashed 30 runs against Yash Dayal, steering the side to a sensational last-ball win during the group stage. A consistent performance as a finisher throughout the season earned him a place in Team India, where he continued on his brilliant outings.
Ahead of the T20 World Cup, Rinku is widely seen as among the first names in the squad; however, a solid performance from the Kolkata Knight Riders batting order means Rinku’s appearances with the bat have been sporadic. This season, Rinku has an aggregate of 83 runs at 27.66 and is yet to score a fifty. But his strike rate has been a handsome 184-plus.
“That day was my day. It was a very good feeling (5 sixes in 2023). But, in this season, I have not been able to get a lot of chances to bat. The top-order batters are doing very well, for instance, Narine today. Whatever opportunities, i get, I will try to score in them,” Rinku said, as quoted by India Today.
KKR meet RCB next
The Knight Riders will have a rematch against the struggling Royal Challengers Bengaluru in their next match on Sunday; the KKR had beaten the side by seven wickets last month, chasing down a 183-run target with 19 balls to spare.
