There’s something poetic about Rinku Singh and timing, both on the field and in life. Just days before India’s high-profile T20I series against Australia, the left-hander from Aligarh has quietly sent a reminder that he can play the longer game too. Returning to first-class cricket after a long gap, Rinku produced a masterful century for Uttar Pradesh in the opening round of the 2025–26 Ranji Trophy, digging his side out of a familiar crisis at Green Park, Kanpur.
Rinku Singh rescues Uttar Pradesh in Ranji Trophy
When Andhra piled up a daunting 470 in their first innings, Uttar Pradesh’s reply began on shaky ground. Reduced to 178/5, the hosts looked destined for another early collapse before Rinku took charge. In fact, UP lost four wickets for just 34 runs in a brief period.
Coming in at No. 5, he showed remarkable patience and composure to script a rearguard action. Facing over 260 balls, the southpaw battled with grit and weathered all the storms thrown by Andhra, reaching his 8th first-class hundred and eventually converting it into a fighting 160.
Alongside Vipraj Nigam (42), Rinku stitched a vital 122-run stand for the seventh wicket, steering UP past 450 and keeping them alive in the contest. It wasn’t one of those typical Rinku knocks that light up the stands but it was an innings soaked in responsibility and showed how much he has matured as a batter since his IPL and T20I exploits.
This ton also took Rinku past 3,400 runs in first-class cricket, where he now averages above 55, with 22 fifties and now eight centuries. It is a shame that Rinku is only known for his T20 abilities. However, he is someone who averages close to 50 in List-A cricket too. A livewire on the field and a superb package to have irrespective of the format.
Perfect statement ahead of India vs Australia T20Is
For India, this couldn’t have come at a better time. Rinku’s composure under pressure in domestic cricket is exactly what the selectors would want to see ahead of the five-match T20I series against Australia, starting October 29. Though his place in the XI isn’t guaranteed, this innings shows that Rinku is ready.
He played the final as Hardik Pandya was ruled out due to an injury. But it turned out to be a massive moment and perhaps a ‘God’s plan’, as Rinku likes to say, since he played only one ball in the tournament and that turned out to be the winning delivery. Rinku is yet to play in Australia and with Pandya still not available, India might be tempted to test Rinku there too.
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