Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) batter Rinku Singh has earned the praise of former New Zealand cricketer Simon Doull for his consistent performances in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL 2023). Doull believes that Singh has successfully carved a niche for himself as a finisher, and cannot be deemed a “one-match wonder” due to his ability to help his team cross the line on multiple occasions. Singh has been able to prove himself on a regular basis, showing glimpses of brilliance in the previous season and continuing to excel this year.
After KKR’s five-wicket win over PBKS at Eden Gardens on Monday, Doull remarked: “He [Rinku Singh] is doing it more often now. I mean you can’t just say ‘one-game wonder’ anymore. He is over 300 runs. He is doing it more often than not. I think that was his fourth not out in a chase situation. So he is understanding. We saw him last year in the odd occasion just do something you thought, ‘This guy has got a little bit about him’. He is street-smart and is quite hard because of everything he has had to go through in his life.”
Singh played a crucial role in KKR’s successful chase of the 180-run target set by Punjab, hitting a crucial boundary off Arshdeep Singh on the last ball of the encounter to seal the game for his team. The left-handed batter remained unbeaten on 21 off 10 balls and stitched together a stunning 54-run stand with Andre Russell for the fifth wicket, which was instrumental in the team’s victory.
Doull further stated that Singh has proved that he is a very smart finisher. The cricketer-turned-commentator reckoned that the batter looks forward to opportunities where he can win games for his side. Doull emphasized that making a mark while batting lower down the order is a tough job, but stressed that Singh has excelled at the role, in spite of not getting to face a lot of balls. “He [Rinku Singh] really relishes every moment that he gets an opportunity to do what he is doing, but he is actually becoming a very smart finisher,” he elaborated. “That is something that is not easy to do because you get few balls. You get less than 15 balls on average when you bat at six or seven in any game. He is learning all the time and doing it more often than not. That is the sign of a guy who has obviously grown in confidence, but also he has got the ability and smarts to do it.”
Singh is currently the leading run-getter for KKR in IPL 2023, having mustered 337 runs from 11 innings at a strike rate of 151.12. His performances have been instrumental in KKR’s success this season, and he has proven himself to be a reliable and consistent finisher for the team.
As the IPL 2023 season continues, it will be interesting to see if Singh can continue his impressive run of form and help lead KKR to further victories. His ability to perform under pressure and excel in the role of finisher will be crucial to the team’s success, and he will undoubtedly be looking to continue to prove himself as one of the most valuable players in the league.
