Veteran Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin hailed Rinku Singh as ‘a left-handed Dhoni’ while praising the batter’s ability to bat under difficult conditions. The 26-year-old was picked into India’s T20I team after a fantastic IPL season and has made a huge impression with his finishing ability.
In the 3rd T20I against Afghanistan, in the first half, the surface at M Chinnaswamy Stadium proved difficult to bat as The Men in Blue were struggling at 22/4 after just 4.3 overs when Rohit and Rinku flipped the game on its head by repelling the Afghan bowlers and the Indian batters put up a fine show to score 151 runs in the last 60 balls of the innings, helping India post a competitive total in the game.
Speaking on his YouTube Channel, Ravichandran Ashwin said that he does not believe Rinku is as good as legendary MS Dhoni yet because the CSK captain is a legend in the game.
However, Ashwin noted commonalities between the two in the shorter format of the game. Rinku, who rose to prominence following a successful IPL 2023, was selected for the Indian T20 team during the Ireland series.
“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,” Ravichandran Ashwin said.
Rinku Singh emerged as a significant figure for India, leading the team out of a difficult situation in the final T20I game. The left-handed finisher demonstrated his abilities by scoring an unbeaten 69 off 39 balls, forging a strong partnership with Rohit Sharma.
This knock displayed Rinku’s calmness and temperament under pressure while also confirming his ability to deliver when the team needed him the most.
Rinku Singh Collected All The Balls That Batters Hit In Throwdowns – Ravichandran Ashwin
Sharing a story about the Rinku Singh dedication over the years, Ravichandran Ashwin said how the cricketer kept himself engaged when on the bench for the Kolkata Knight Riders during his initial years with the franchise. The Left-handed batter made his IPL debut for KKR back in 2018 but didn’t get many opportunities till IPL 2021.
“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,” Ravichandran Ashwin said.
“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 the Indian team out of a tricky situation or finish an innings.
“The composure doesn’t change whether the team is batting first or chasing. His composure towards the back end of the innings is a bonus,” Ravichandran Ashwin added.
Rinku Singh received his first full season in the IPL in 2023, following his strong domestic accomplishments and the recognition of his talent and finishing abilities.
The southpaw scored 474 runs in 14 matches at an average of 59.25 and a strike rate of 149.52, with four half-centuries most importantly finishing the games for his side from impossible situations and would key to India’s success in the 2024 T20 World Cup.
