Rinku Singh overwhelmed by India T20 selection: 'This is like a dream'

Rinku Singh’s success in the Indian Premier League (IPL) with the Kolkata Knights (KKR) earned him a call-up to the India team, first for the 2023 Asian Games and now for the third T20I tournament series against Ireland.

Rinku made headlines during the IPL by hitting five sixes in a row to win the match in the final. Before that, he was only known for his cameo, but this hit made the Aligarh boy the star of the night.

The 25-year-old left-handed said it still feels like a dream after appearing on the show in Dublin.

“Sapne jaisa hi hai (This is like a dream).

I don’t want to wake up soon,” said Rinku with a smile.

NEWS 🚨- @Jaspritbumrah93 to lead #TeamIndia for Ireland T20Is.

Team – Jasprit Bumrah (Capt), Ruturaj Gaikwad (vc), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Tilak Varma, Rinku Singh, Sanju Samson (wk), Jitesh Sharma (wk), Shivam Dube, W Sundar, Shahbaz Ahmed, Ravi Bishnoi, Prasidh Krishna, Arshdeep…

— BCCI (@BCCI) July 31, 2023

I’ve come to this stage from scratch. I’m a kind person and we cry whenever I talk to my family.

He barely made an impact in his first three seasons in the IPL, raising just 77 laps. Although he did not play a single game in the 2021 season.

He made several appearances in the second half of IPL 2022 but all failed. But the IPL 2023 proved to be game-changing as it landed 474 rounds in 149.53 innings.

“I was in KKR for six years,got a chance to start but it didn’t happen, learned a lot when I was young in the team.

I practiced hitting with Mr. Abhishek Nayar at KKR Academy in Mumbai. The hard work has paid off,” said Rinku.

“After losing so much, no other team could have beaten me, but KKR team management and Mr. Abhishek saw something in me that even I hadn’t seen.

I would hit the net for five to six hours a day. And I would learn new shots. “In three years, I think I’ve become a batsman anywhere. I was successful in the IPL, I was recognized and immediately called the Indian team.”

Aligarh The journey from IPL to Indian cricket was very chaos.

But Rinku knows how to keep the situation cool. He was proud of his past and said that it not only grounded him but also encouraged him to work towards his goals.

“I am not ashamed to tell people that I have worked hard to be successful. What went wrong? My past has given me the courage to face failure and difficulties,” she said.

🗣️ 𝐋𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐝 𝐚 𝐥𝐨𝐭 𝐚𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐈𝐏𝐋

Revisiting his iconic 5⃣ sixes off 5⃣ balls 💥
The joy of Asian Games call-up 👏
Feeling of being called 'Lord' 😃

WATCH @rinkusingh235 talk about it all 🎥🔽 – By @jigsactin | #Deodhartrophy https://t.co/Tx8P37sqqC pic.twitter.com/qU8dyitoTI

— BCCI Domestic (@BCCIdomestic) July 30, 2023

After a good IPL campaign, it is hoped that Rinku will be included in the squad for the T20I tour to the West Indies. But it is not.

“Don’t worry. I saw him again. It doesn’t stop me that I wasn’t taken for the West Indies tour.

The choice is not in my hands. All I can do is score goals and that’s what I do,” he said. If I overthink things that are starting to fall apart. Now I live and play football.

People keep asking me about the five or six and the plans behind them. Actually, there is no plan. It was my day, I hit every ball and connected well. This is all God’s plan, nothing more,” said Rinku.

“Sapne sach hote hai ( dreams do come true). But never give up on it. There are no shortcuts in life and cricket. If you love cricket, work hard. The rewards will come.”

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