A make-or-break season hasn’t begun in fashion for Rinku Singh. Till last year, the Kolkata Knight Riders team management had toyed with his position, prompting calls to allow him to bat higher up the order.

The Knights decided to hand Rinku additional responsibility this time, of deputising for captain Ajinkya Rahane. He has also been promoted to No. 5, a spot which allows a player better opportunities to prosper in a T20 contest.

But with scores of 33 not out off 21 balls and 35 off 25 in the season’s two completed matches, Rinku hasn’t really set the stage on fire. On Thursday, against Lucknow Super Giants at Eden Gardens, he walked in in the 12th over, but contributed just 4 off 7 balls.

Rinku was bowled by an Avesh Khan delivery which was angling into his off stump. He was beaten by the angle as he tried to poke at it. The Knights seemed to lose way in the middle overs and he needed to stay there to provide the momentum.

If KKR hadn’t suffered the run-rate slump after the second-wicket partnership, they could have ended on the winning side. The home team were at least 25 runs short.

KKR lost three wickets for 12 runs in a space of 18 balls, which upset their plans. This is where Rinku’s role would have been crucial, but his dismissal at that stage cost them dear. The failure in the middle overs is hurting KKR.

Five consecutive sixes in the final over against Gujarat Titans in IPL 2023 earned Rinku instant fame as a finisher and a berth in the national side.

T20 finishers will take risks early in their innings with streaks of low scores, but the strike-rate often attains greater importance. Apart from hitting the winning runs at the 2025 Asia Cup, he has done little of note with the national side too.

In his last 10 T20 innings, he has crossed the 150 strike-rate only once. Lack of opportunities has often been cited as one of the reasons, but he also has to share a part of the blame.

The pressure to perform seems to be getting to him as the fearless nature which once epitomised Rinku’s batting has vanished. He remains stuck to his crease with very little footwork. Earlier, Rinku’s arrival at the crease would mean some quick runs. He hardly took time to adjust to the conditions.

The best phase of his career came in IPL 2023 when he batted at No. 5. He has to deliver again if KKR are to harbour any hope of salvaging their campaign this season.