Rinku Singh

The third of five siblings, Rinku Singh hails from Aligarh in Uttar Pradesh. Coming from a humble background, things haven't been trouble-free for this left-handed batsman. Son of an LPG delivery man and brother of an auto-rickshaw driver, Rinku Singh has struggled quite a bit in his young days to reach this stage. In 2013, Rinku Singh was selected for UP's under-16 team and a couple of years later he was also picked for UP's under-19 team for his talent as an aggressive batsman. Known as a hard hitter of the cricket ball, the southpaw notched up a swashbuckling 31-ball 95 in one of the games at a camp held by the Mumbai Indians that same year. Another notable performance by Rinku Singh came during Uttar Pradesh's Vijay Hazare Trophy 2018 encounter where he played a sweltering knock of 44-ball 91* against Tripura.

Rinku was one of those incredible young Indian talents to be backed by the Kolkata Knight Riders. Along with Shivam Mavi and Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Rinku was another 'slightly unknown buy' for KKR. This after KXIP had purchased the youngster's services for the 2017 IPL for his base price of Rs.10 lakhs.

But at the 2018 auction table, Rinku's stocks kept rising, and he fetched four times his base price of Rs. 20 lakhs to be bagged by KKR at Rs. 80 lakhs. But his chances were few and far in between and he ended up scoring only 29 runs from the 4 games he played. But KKR decided to retain the services of the destructive middle-order bat.

The left-handed batter was given a longer run by KKR in 2022 compared to previous seasons, and Rinku made the most of the chances he received. He scored 172 runs at a staggering strike rate and almost pulled off a spectacular run chase against Lucknow Super Giants with a fantastic 15-ball 40. The Knight Riders lost by 2 runs, but Rinku's knock was indeed a memorable one.

Rinku really came into his own in the 2023 season. He took the burden off Andre Russell by becoming KKR’s designated finisher. Rinku’s finest hour came in a league game against Gujarat Titans where he hit Yash Dayal for five consecutive sixes in the final over to seal one of the most improbable wins in IPL history. The southpaw repeated similar finishing heroics against PBKS and CSK, establishing himself as one of the most dangerous closers in the league.

Rinku’s finishing exploits caught the eye of the BCCI selectors who picked him for the away T20I series to Ireland. He has played some handy knocks for India as well and has quickly become the finisher of choice.

In IPL 2025, Rinku Singh further solidified his reputation as one of the most dependable finishers in the tournament. Batting consistently in the middle or lower-middle order, he delivered multiple impactful innings under pressure, often rescuing KKR from tricky situations. While he may not have produced as many jaw-dropping last-over finishes as in 2023, his maturity stood out: he rotated the strike better, paced his innings smartly and chose the right moments to accelerate. His ability to remain calm in crucial moments and consistently deliver 20-40 run cameos at a high strike rate made him a vital cog in KKR’s batting unit.

Heading into IPL 2026, expectations from Rinku are sky-high. He is no longer just a breakout star but a proven match-winner and a leader in the middle order. KKR will rely on him to close out games, mentor younger players and continue being their go-to finisher alongside their power hitters. If he maintains his composure and finishing efficiency, Rinku Singh is expected to remain one of the most feared death-over batters in the league and could even push for a leadership role within the side in the near future.