One of the finds of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 season has been Kolkata Knight Riders' Rinku Singh. The batter scored a whopping 5 consecutive sixes on the final five balls of the match against defending champions Gujarat Titans, winning the match for his side in historic fashion. The match went down in the history of the league, with Rinku embedding his name in the book of epic run-chases with golden letters. In a chat with NDTV, Rinku opened up on a number of topics, ranging from his performance to his humble belongings.
Rinku hasn't been from the wealthiest of families, and it isn't an unknown secret. His father still carries gas cylinders from one home to another to make ends meet. Rinku's family understandably had a lot of debt before he became a professional cricketer. But now, those days of hardships are behind him.
"I am doing everything for my family. The hard times are now over. I told my father to leave his job. He has been working for 30 years. When I asked him to quit, he insisted on continuing. I and my brothers used to go from door to door to deliver gas cylinders with our father. My father used to be against me playing cricket. He wanted me to work with him and contribute money. Mom used to support me," Rinku said while speaking to NDTV in an exclusive interview.
When asked if this could be a turning point in his career, Rinku said that it was the best innings of his life so far.
On the question of his Team India ambitions, Rinku said that his focus is presently on doing well for the franchise in this IPL.
Rinku used to play cricket with his brothers during his teenage days but he is the only one who converted his passion into a profession. Another younger brother of his, however, is looking to follow the elder brother's footsteps.
"I have a younger brother who has started cricket. He is quite interested. When it comes to getting an IPL contract, it all depends on how hard he works and hones his skills.
"It's tough to get into IPL. First, you have to make a name for yourself in domestic cricket. It's been 6-7 years since I have been playing. We also need the team's support to do well," Rinku further said.