"Mind Doesn't Work Properly": Rinku Singh's Big Admission After Match-Winning 53 vs Rajasthan Royals
Walking in with the chase hanging in the balance, Rinku Singh combined composure with controlled aggression to see the game through, even as emotions ran high.
"There was intensity, but no hesitation," said Rinku Singh after delivering a timely, confidence-boosting unbeaten 53 under pressure to fire Kolkata Knight Riders to their first win of the season against Rajasthan Royals in a tense IPL clash Sunday. Walking in with the chase hanging in the balance, Rinku combined composure with controlled aggression to see the game through, even as emotions ran high.
"Sometimes it happens like that when a few things don't go your way, so you feel that intensity. But it wasn't like I was hesitating or unsure about playing my shots. My mindset was to take the game till the end," the KKR vice-captain said in the post-match presentation.
The left-hander, who had been searching for a substantial knock this season, made full use of an early reprieve, turning the tide decisively in KKR's favour.
"That's what happens sometimes. The mind doesn't work properly and you end up playing such shots. But thankfully, luck was on my side and we eventually won the match," he said.
Rinku admitted the innings was a long time coming and vital for his self-belief.
"I had played quite a few innings and was waiting for a big one. This was a very good innings for me and also very important for my confidence." Known for his adaptability, Rinku reiterated his willingness to bat anywhere in the order.
"There's nothing like a fixed position for me. I can bat at number five, lower down the order, or even at number four. Wherever the team needs me, I'm ready." The win, KKR's first this season, could serve as a springboard for the team.
"This will give us a lot of confidence because this is our first win of the season. From here, we will carry this momentum forward,” he said.
Skipper Ajinkya Rahane echoed the sentiment, calling it an emotional and much-needed breakthrough after a poor run.
"Really happy to be here. Feels really good. There were a lot of emotions during the game," Rahane said, singling out Rinku and the bowlers for praise.
"I'm really happy for Rinku, Anukul (Roy) and Varun (Chakravarthy). The way Varun bowled... Anukul had a fantastic domestic competition.” Rahane stressed the importance of game awareness and admitted the need to improve with the bat.
"It's about reading the situation well. Cricket is a simple game. This victory will give us confidence. The bowlers are coming nicely together. Batting wise, we can still improve." He also lauded young pacer Kartik Tyagi for his clarity and confidence.
Reflecting on the team's struggles, Rahane pointed to repeated poor starts.
"We've had a bad powerplay for the last three games. Sometimes I feel strike rate is overrated… this was a great escape for us. As a batting unit, we need to learn very quickly.” For Rajasthan, skipper Riyan Parag lamented costly fielding lapses that proved decisive.
“I thought it was a 170-run wicket, we fell 10 runs short. Errors from our side. We can't be dropping catches, that cost us the game," Parag said.
Rinku was dropped early in his innings.
He felt his side identified the right approach with spin on a helpful surface but failed in execution, especially in the latter half of the innings.
"There was a lot of spin on the wicket. I thought spin was the way to go. The platform was set, but the execution went wrong. We wanted to go hard in the last five overs, but that didn't happen," he added. PTI APS APS UNG
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Kolkata Knight Riders
Rajasthan Royals