The 26-year-old has shown his ability to bat in the death overs during his stint with Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL, but his innings in the T20 format for India have impressed everyone. In the last match against Australia, Rinku scored 22 runs off 14 deliveries, including a six that turned the match in India’s favour.

Rinku’s MS Dhoniesque cool and calm demeanour has earned him praise not only from fans and cricket pundits but even from his own teammates, including fellow left-hander Tilak Varma. The Mumbai Indians batsman said that he was learning from Rinku Singh how to finish matches for the country and hopefully he would be able to do so in the coming matches.

Speaking at the pre-match press conference, Varma said, “I am learning how to finish games from Rinku as he is doing it consistently for India. I also want to do and hopefully in coming matches I will be doing that,” Tilak said ahead of India’s second T20 International in the five-match series.

Meanwhile, speaking about his role in the Surya Kumar Yadav led Indian T20 team, Varma said, “There is no pressure of expectation on me. I just have a role and I have to fulfil that role for the team. My role at No. 5 is, if it’s in my arc, I will go for it or else just rotate strike,”

In the 11 matches he has played for India, Varma has scored 243 runs at an average of 34.71 and 141.27 with a highest score of 55 not out. The left-hander has an even better IPL record with 740 runs in the 25 matches played so far at a strike rate of 144.53 and an average of 38.95.

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Updated: 26 Nov 2023, 12:28 PM IST