IPL 2023 - "In 43 Years...": Praising Rinku Singh, KKR Coach Chandrakant Pandit Draws Parallels With Ravi Shastri, Javed Miandad

11.04.2023 - 11:31 sports.ndtv.com

With 7-down Kolkata Knight Riders needing 29 runs off the last over, it was unlikely for most to hope that the side would give a fight to their opponents Gujarat Titans.

While Rashid Khan's magical hat-trick had almost sealed the game for the Hardik Pandya-led GT, winning seemed to be just a formality for the side.

Yash Dayal was handed the ball in the final over and the first delivery went for a single. With 28 needed off 5 balls, GT would have thought that the game was in their pocket, however, KKR's Rinku Singh had some other idea.

Rinku hit five consecutive sixes and sealed a nearly impossible victory for Nitish Rana and company. Since the knock, the cricket world is still taking its time to believe that it has happened for real.

cricket Kolkata Knight Riders Asia Cup Ravi Shastri Rinku Singh Gujarat Titans Javed Miandad India Dubai Pakistan Kolkata

Ajinkya Rahane has emerged as a superstar for Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 and his aggressive brand of batting has both stunned and thrilled the fans. The experienced India batter has slammed 224 runs in six matches but it is his strike rate of 189.83 that has been the highlight of the season. The new found aggression has made him a mainstay of the CSK middle order and it has also allowed players like Shivam Dube and Ambati Rayudu to flourish.

In the first doubleheader on Saturday in IPL 2023, Kolkata Knight Riders face Gujarat Titans while Delhi Capitals will take on Sunrisers Hyderabad in the evening encounter. Rinku Singh's heist in the final over against Yash Dayal will be on the minds of captain Hardik Pandya as GT face off with KKR at Eden Gardens in the reverse fixture. Former India cricketer Sunil Gavaskar is mighty impressed with the way Hardik has led Gujarat Titans. The India all-rounder has led by example and helped GT return to the winning track despite the team losing some close encounters, which tend to dent the morale of the teammates.

IPL 2023: "He Fell Ill And Lost 7-8 Kilos" - Hardik Pandya's Shocking Update On Yash Dayal

Yash Dayal has not featured for Gujarat Titans in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 since conceding 31 runs in the final over against Kolkata Knight Riders. The young fast bowler was taken to the cleaners by Rinku Singh who slammed five sixes in the final five balls of the match to clinch the match for his team. The loss was quite unsettling for the youngster and a lot of questions have been asked about his absence from the side since that game. Following GT's win over Mumbai Indians on Tuesday, skipper Hardik Pandya provided a crucial update about Dayal and his availability.

IPL 2023: "Banging That Door Down" - Ravi Shastri's Huge Take on Mumbai Indians Star's India Chances

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 has already produced quite a few young superstars and former India head coach Ravi Shastri believes that there is one India youngster who can make the national side in the near future. In a recent interaction, Shastri was all praise for the MI batter N Tilak Varma for his performances in the tournament this year and said that he is “banging that door down” when it comes to making his case for the Indian cricket team. The legend praised Tilak's ability to play solid cricket from the start and how he is not afraid to take chances against any bowler.

English Premier League 'Going On For Years, But Here in Two Years...': Ravi Shastri's Unique Praise For IPL

The IPL has always had quality, but what took it to another level was the successful hosting of the league in South Africa in 2009, and the interest it generated in a foreign country, feels former India coach Ravi Shastri. The second edition of the Indian Premier League had been moved to South Africa as its dates clashed with the general elections in the country. The IPL was started on this day 15 years ago. Shastri, who was part of the league's governing council then, reminisced about the tournament's early days.

IPL 2023: Once Struggled For Money, Rinku Singh Aims To Help Poverty-Stricken Cricketers

Kolkata Knight Riders star Rinku Singh's family background is no more a secret to any cricket fan. Only if anyone was left to know about the struggles of the player, his masterclass against Gujarat Titans in the last over of an IPL 2023 match a week ago made him the talk of the town. While the fans, former cricketers and experts of the game are still in awe of Rinku's brilliance against GT, the player continues to shine in the ongoing edition of the T20 extravaganza.