Those five sixes off as many balls that had earned Kolkata Knight Riders an unbelievable victory against Gujarat Titans in IPL 2023 had not just marked Rinku Singh’s rise to stardom. It also went on to typecast him as a finisher.
Since that edition, Rinku is yet to score a half-century in the IPL with 38 not out — in a losing cause against Lucknow Super Giants at the Eden — in the current edition his highest till date.
In fact, last year when the Knight Riders won the IPL crown for the third time, Rinku’s figures were even lower, with 26 being his highest and his average reading 18.66.
In comparison, the left-handed batsman’s numbers this year after eight innings look better: 169 runs, an average of 33.80 with a strike-rate reading 145.68. That, even though he has batted in the top five on very few occasions.
Precisely, since those five sixes off five balls, the Uttar Pradesh cricketer has had to come out to bat late in the order for his finishing skills. But Rinku is much more than just a finisher, as his first-class average of 54.68 in 50 matches and 47.54 from 62 List A games reflect.
This season too, No.6 has been his position in the batting order in most of the games. Only in two games has he batted up the order, at Nos.4 and 5.
Of course, the team’s interests matter first, and the Knight Riders’ team management feels slotting Rinku at No.6 adds depth to their batting. But, is it helping Rinku?
Yes, cricket may not always be about numbers. But on the other side, when more experienced players with bigger credentials — like KL Rahul and former KKR captain Shreyas Iyer, averaging 53 and 51.43, respectively — keep performing, it does make an impression on the selectors.
According to some in the BCCI, IPL is “not the sole criterion” for selection to the Indian team. Now if both Rahul and Shreyas continue performing the way they have been, will chief selector Ajit Agarkar and his colleagues still be able to write them off and concentrate on those who have been regulars in the Indian T20I squad of late?
In Rinku’s case, he has been a regular in the T20I squad since August 2023. But he could well be under a bit of pressure on being sent again and again at No.6 and having to play according to the situation with not many balls remaining in the game or innings.
Not every game can be like Tuesday’s one against the Delhi Capitals, where he had time to get his eye in despite coming at No.4 and score an important 25-ball 36. “For a player like Rinku, this aspect (of being sent down the order) will be considered at the time of selection of the squad for the next T20I series,” a BCCI official told The Telegraph.
According to former national selector Devang Gandhi, “It’s a competitive environment in Indian cricket, so players have to adjust to it.
“But for a player like Rinku, he should be sent up the order, maybe at No.4.”
Current Rajasthan Royals head coach Rahul Dravid summed it up perfectly. “The performance matrix for someone batting at No.5 (or below) has to be very different. We need to be very careful how we judge people based on where they play.
“If you get only 15 balls to play, how do you compare that with someone who starts the innings and gets to play 60 balls? It’s never a like-for-like comparison,” the former India head coach said on Star Sports Press Room.