Indian off-spinner R Ashwin has lauded the young batter Rinku Singh, comparing him to a ‘left-handed MS Dhoni‘ for his impressive and composed innings against Afghanistan in the recent Bengaluru T20I. Ashwin emphasized that while there is no direct comparison to the legendary Dhoni, Rinku’s calm and collected approach resembles the former Indian captain’s demeanor.
Rinku Singh, having showcased his batting prowess during the IPL 2023 season, was quickly drafted into India’s T20I squad. His impact was felt in the third T20I against Afghanistan, where he played a crucial role, scoring an unbeaten 69* off 39 balls and stitching a remarkable 190-run partnership with skipper Rohit Sharma.
“He is somebody I’d call a left-handed Dhoni. I can’t compare him to Dhoni just yet because Dhoni is too big. But, I am talking about the composure that he brings. He has been consistently scoring buckets of runs for UP and broke his way into the Indian team,” said Ashwin on his YouTube show.
Rinku Singh dedication
Ashwin shared a behind-the-scenes anecdote, revealing Rinku Singh dedication even while on the bench for the Kolkata Knight Riders. “He was on the KKR bench for many years. People used to tell me that, when he was at KKR, even though he couldn’t get the chance to bat at practice, he collected all the balls that batters hit in throwdowns and gave them back to the bowler,” Ashwin explained.
Since his T20I debut against Ireland in August 2023, Rinku has showcased his prowess, accumulating 356 runs in 11 T20Is at an impressive average of 89 and a strike rate of 176.23. Notably, Rinku has scored two half-centuries in his brief T20I career, hitting 68* against South Africa and an unbeaten 69* against Afghanistan.
“His composure towards the back end of the innings is a bonus. Since then, he has been with the franchise for so long, put in the hard work for UP and showed that he’s always available to get to the Indian team out of a tricky situation or finish an innings,” Ashwin added, praising Rinku’s consistency and invaluable contribution to the team.
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