Rinku Singh highlights his credentials as India’s new finisher as his knocked ticked a huge box in India’s combination.
“I don’t have a lot of shots.”
After hitting 84 off 35 balls against New Zealand in the opening Twenty20 International in Nagpur, that was Abhishek Sharma. He wasn’t being humble. He hardly ever uses reverse hits, ramps, or scoops—all essential skills for a modern T20 batsman. In T20Is, he still hits at 190.92.
This also holds true for Rinku Singh, whose undefeated 44 off 20 balls completed India’s innings on Wednesday. Just 1% of his T20I career runs have come from scoops, ramps, and reverse sweeps combined. However, he has one of the finest strike rates in the format (165), just like Abhishek.
Additionally, it soars to 287.83 in the final two overs of a T20I innings. Rinku is the fastest scorer among players from Full Member nations who have faced at least 20 balls in this mini-phase. It becomes an astounding 302.63 if you limit it to just the 20th over.
Abhishek and Rinku both contributed significantly to India’s final 48-run victory in Nagpur, but Rinku’s performance was perhaps more important for both him and the team. Abhishek has consistently delivered such knocks since making his T20I debut in July 2024 that his most recent effort felt like standard practice. Conversely, Rinku was returning to the side. With barely 17 days until the T20 World Cup, he checked a lot of boxes.
India required an above-average total because dew was anticipated in the second innings. They reached 149 in 12 overs thanks to Abhishek’s innings. However, they continued to lose wickets as a result of their extremely aggressive strategy. They were five behind in 13.4 overs when Rinku entered.
Rinku has previously stated that he attempts to maintain his composure in the middle, a tip he received from MS Dhoni. However, he was feeling the heat on Wednesday.
There is no way that Rinku could have done this better. After reaching a run-a-ball 7, he hit his first boundary with an off-drive rather than a scoop or any other fancy shot. He opened up against rookie Kristian Clarke with three overs remaining with Axar Patel still at the other end. He pulled a rank short ball over short fine leg for a six and then steered a wide one past covers for four. Despite the fact that neither shot was particularly dangerous, he shot 22 off 12.
But two balls later, Axar fell, leaving Rinku and the tail with 13 deliveries. It was necessary to proceed cautiously through the exact stage in which he flourishes.
In the hopes that his new partner, Arshdeep Singh, would be able to return the strike to him, Rinku took a single off the first real ball of the 19th over. For the next three deliveries, Arshdeep was unable to connect. It began to appear that Rinku had erred. However, Rinku was on strike for the 20th over when Arshdeep hit a boundary off the fifth ball, and the two were happy not to run off the final ball.
Mitchell Santner, the captain of New Zealand, had to make a difficult choice as a result. He had an over left, as did Ish Sodhi. However, they both turn the ball in the direction of Rinku’s leg side. Offspinner Glenn Phillips, the other slow bowler, had given up 20 runs in his lone over of the evening. Santner chose seam as a result. He chose Daryl Mitchell, a part-time medium-pacer who had not yet bowled an over, since all of his frontline seamers had reached their quotas.
In a 21-run over, Rinku appropriately hit Mitchell for two sixes and two fours, giving India a dew-proof total. Taking down seam bowling and finishing the innings are two qualities that have likely contributed to his return to the team.
Taking down seam bowling and finishing the innings are two qualities that have likely contributed to his return to the team.
At least the game on Wednesday demonstrated that they made the correct decision. Or perhaps it was all “God’s plan,” as Rinku frequently states, according to the tattoo on his left forearm.