Curated By: Aakash Biswas
Last Updated: August 21, 2023, 10:07 IST
Rinku Singh bagged the Player of the Match Award on his maiden outing
India opener Ruturaj Gaikwad heaped praise on Rinku Singh and spoke about his maturity and understanding of the game
Ruturaj Gaikwad was all praise for his teammate Rinku Singh after India clinched a 33-run win against Ireland on Sunday. The latter announced his arrival in international cricket with a blistering 21-ball 38, helping India post 185 for 5 in the second T20I in Dublin. Rinku continued his red-hot form in his maiden outing for India and hit 3 big sixes and a couple of boundaries before falling prey to Mark Adair in the final over.
Rinku did exactly what he’s been admired for – finishing the innings. He has done it for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the IPL and was no different when he turned up in Indian colours. His knock played a key role in India’s triumph on Sunday for which he bagged the ‘Player of the Match’ award.
Addressing a post-match presser, Gaikwad heaped praise on Rinku and spoke about his maturity and understanding of the game.
“Rinku is already everyone’s favourite in the IPL. The way he has batted in the IPL, he has shown a lot of maturity,” Ruturaj told the reporters.
“I think one of the standout things about him is that he doesn’t attack from ball one. He gives himself time, no matter what the situation is. He always assesses the condition and then starts to take on the bowlers.
“It is good learning for all the upcoming players who want to be a finisher. It is always important that you take some time, and you can always cover it up later,” he added.
Rinku’s fearlessness was on full display when he took on the Irish bowlers. Ruturaj believes that this innings will make the 25-year-old much more confident going forward in his career.
“He knows when to pull the trigger. It was an important innings for him; he was batting for the first time in international cricket. I feel this will help him a lot,” said Gaikwad.
After Rinku’s fireworks, the bowlers took the centre stage and restricted the hosts to 152 for 8 in 20 overs. Skipper Jasprit Bumrah (2/15), Prasidh Krishna (2/29) and Ravi Bishnoi (2/37) picked up two wickets each. India has taken an unassailable 2-0 lead in the 3-match series with one game left. The final match of the tour will be played on Wednesday at the same venue.
