"Mother Borrowed Money...": Rinku Singh Narrates Struggle To Reach The Top

19.08.2023 - 16:13 sports.ndtv.com

Living his "mother's dream", swashbuckling batter Rinku Singh says a burning desire to give his parents a good life while wading through tough times paved the way for his inclusion into the Indian team.

Rinku was picked by the national selectors for India's ongoing T20I series in Ireland, rewarding him for his excellent showing on the domestic circuit, including the IPL. "A lot of blood and sweat has gone behind to earn this call.

My passion for the sport helped me wade through a lack of support and financial hardships," Rinku said during an interview with JioCinema before leaving for Ireland. "One thing that kept the desire burning was to give my family a good life, which was possible if I moved up the ladder in the sport.

I had that self-belief and that made me stronger and helped me in my journey which has taken a new turn," he added. Despite a stellar IPL campaign with the Kolkata Knight Riders, Rinku was not included in the squad for the preceding five-match T20I series against West Indies.

cricket India Cricket Team Ireland Cricket Team 2023 mother Rinku Singh Ireland India

India became part of an elite space club on Wednesday when its moon mission Chandrayaan-3 met success as the Vikram Lander successfully landed on the lunar surface. India has now become the first nation to land near the South Pole on moon, which has been a place of intrigue since traces of water was found on moon. Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) celebrated the occasion with a post on X (formerly Twitter) at 6.04pm - the exact time when Vikram lander touched down at the Moon's South Pole. In the post, ISRO congratulated the people of the country for the success of the mission.

"Rinku Singh Has Been A Tremendous Story," Says Kolkata Knight Riders Assistant Coach

Having closely tracked the journey of a ‘shy' young boy with ‘low self confidence' evolve into a promising player for India, Abhishek Nayar describes Rinku Singh's story as one of hard work and perseverance. The 25-year-old shot himself into national reckoning ever since he smacked five consecutive sixes to power Kolkata Knight Riders to a shocking win over Gujarat Titans in the IPL this year. On Sunday, he showed he can replicate that at the highest level with a 21-ball 38 against Ireland on his India debut. “I have seen Rinku evolve as an individual. The first time I saw him in the KKR set up, and spent time with him when he came to Mumbai, he was very shy and a guy with very low self belief,” KKR assistant coach Nayar recalled on Tuesday.

"Those Five Sixes Changed My Life": Rinku Singh Relives His Iconic Innings For KKR

He has played just a couple of international matches so far but Rinku Singh is already a popular name among Indian fans thanks to his five successive sixes in IPL 2023. Playing for Kolkata Knight Riders, he smashed five sixes in the final over against Gujarat Titans to steer his side to a sensational win. Recalling the same, Rinku said that moment changed his life forever. "Those five sixes changed my life. People remember me for that moment. I was feeling great when they took my name and the love they have been showering me with," he said during an interaction with his Indian teammate Ravi Bishnoi on BCCI.tv.

Watch: "Saari Baatein Sunta Hai Captain Ki?" - Jasprit Bumrah's Hilarious Interaction With Rinku Singh Viral

It was a memorable game for Rinku Singh on Sunday as he batted for the first time for the Indian cricket team. The southpaw made his debut in the rain-hit first T20I against Ireland but he got a chance to bat only in the second game. The hard-hitting batter played a vital knock of 21-ball 38 runs in Dublin. Rinku's cameo gave India's innings a much-needed spark, and his 28-ball 55-run stand with Shivam Dube (22 not out) helped India end with a flourish.

Sanju Samson "Being Wasted" At No. 6 In T20Is: Ravichandran Ashwin Opens Up On This 'Debate'

Veteran India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has backed wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson to bat at no. 3 in the ongoing T20I series against Ireland. Samson, who has been synonymous with no. 3 while playing for Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League (IPL), has been asked to bat lower down the order for India. However, with the likes of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Shubman Gill and Ishan Kishan rested for the Ireland tour, Samson might get the chance to bat in his preferred position.

Watch: Rinku Singh Makes Batting Debut In Style, Slams 3 Huge Sixes vs Ireland

Team India emerged victorious by 33 runs in the second T20I against Ireland on Sunday. The Jasprit Bumrah-led team displayed a dominant approach to gain an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series. Opting to bat first, the visitors posted a total of 185/5 in 20 overs with Ruturaj Gaikwad top-scoring with 58 runs. Later, Ireland were restricted at 152/8 despite Andrew Balbirnie scoring 72 runs. This game turned out to be really special for batter Rinku Singh as he bagged away the Player of the Match award in his maiden batting stint.