Jaunpur, June 1 – Rising Indian cricketer Rinku Singh is set to tie the knot with Priya Saroj, the newly elected Member of Parliament from Machhlishahr constituency in Uttar Pradesh, representing the Samajwadi Party. The engagement ceremony is scheduled to take place on June 8 in Lucknow in the presence of close family members and friends.

As per agency report, Priya’s father, Tufani Saroj, who is a sitting Samajwadi Party MLA from the Kerakat assembly seat, confirmed the upcoming union on Sunday. He revealed that the wedding will be held later this year on November 18 at the Taj Hotel in Varanasi. Preparations are already underway to invite prominent personalities from the cricketing world, Bollywood, business circles, and national politics for the grand celebration.

The alliance was finalized following a meeting between both families in Aligarh. According to Tufani Saroj, Rinku and Priya have known each other for some time. They initially met through the father of one of Priya's close friends, who is also a cricketer. Their relationship developed with the support and consent of both families.

Priya Saroj, 26, a lawyer by profession, entered Parliament for the first time in the recently concluded general elections. Rinku Singh, 27, has represented India in two One Day Internationals and 33 T20 Internationals, earning fame for his aggressive batting style. He plays for Kolkata Knight Riders in the Indian Premier League (IPL).

Close aides of the Saroj family stated that the wedding will follow traditional customs. Both Rinku and Priya have taken the time to understand each other and are now ready to begin a new chapter in their lives together.

Raipur, Dec 2 (IANS) The in-form middle-order batter Rinku Singh said eating good food and lifting heavy weights in the gym is the secret behind his 100-metre long six during the fourth T20I against Australia in Raipur on Friday night.

At the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium, Rinku slammed a 29-ball 46 and put on a crucial 56-run stand for the fifth wicket with Jitesh Sharma, who chipped in with a quick 19-ball 35. The duo’s clean striking meant India made 174/9 in 20 overs, which was enough to seal a 20-run win.

“Aapko pata hi hai aapke saath gym hi karta hun (You know it, I train with you in the gym). I eat good food and I like lifting weights in the gym and it helps me generate power (for shots) naturally. I have been playing in the IPL for five to six years. I try to keep myself calm while having confidence and backing myself,” Rinku told Jitesh Sharma in a video posted on BCCI.tv.

On the other hand, Jitesh admitted he was a bit nervous while batting as he was playing an international match in India for the first time and thanked Rinku for keeping him calm during their critical partnership.

“I played my last match for India in China during the Asian Games, and it was against Afghanistan. It felt really good to play in India and that too in front of such a big crowd at home. The best thing about this game was my partnership with you, which I thoroughly enjoyed.”

“I was under pressure, but you looked pretty calm. I want to thank you for keeping me calm as well. You kept telling me that we need to stick around and build a partnership,” he concluded.

India have taken an unassailable 3-1 lead in the ongoing five-match T20I series against Australia and will play the fifth and final game at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Sunday.

Dublin, Aug 21 (IANS) India batter Ruturaj Gaikwad lavished praise on Rinku Singh for his outstanding performance in the second T20I against Ireland and stated that the left-hander has a keen sense of when to take an aggressive approach while fulfilling the role of a finisher.

After Gaikwad's (58 off 43 balls) crucial 71-run partnership with Sanju Samson, who made a quick-fire 26-ball 40, Rinku’s cameo added the much-needed spark to India’s innings, as the visitors secured a 33-run win secure a 33-run win over Ireland, taking an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series.

Rinku hammered 38 runs from 21 deliveries, propelling India to a score of 185 for 5, a total Ireland fell short by 33 runs. This impressive performance enabled the 26-year-old to secure his first player of the match award in just his second international appearance.

Speaking at the post-match presentation, India's vice-captain pointed out what youngsters can learn from watching Rinku play.

"Rinku is already everyone’s favourite in the IPL. The way he has batted in the IPL, he has shown a lot of maturity. 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," Gaikwad said.

"It is good learning from 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 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," he added.

Earlier in the year, during the IPL 2023 season, Rinku had already established his reputation as a formidable player. Playing for the Kolkata Knight Riders, he accumulated an impressive tally of 474 runs across 14 matches, maintaining an average of 59.25 and a strike rate of 149.53.

New Delhi, Aug 19 (IANS) Former India wicketkeeper-batter Kiran More believes uncapped left-handed batter Rinku Singh has the potential to become a brilliant finisher, just like legendary batters MS Dhoni and Yuvraj Singh.

Rinku excelled as a finisher for the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in IPL 2023, with the most notable moment being him smacking Gujarat Titans pacer Yash Dayal for five sixes on the last five balls of the match in Ahmedabad to seal an improbable victory.

Overall, Rinku scored 474 runs in 14 matches at a strike rate of 149.53 in the tournament, where he was the designated finisher for KKR. His strike-rate while batting in last five overs of the tournament shot up to 186.66, the best-ever for an Indian batter in the competition.

“I have been waiting for his opportunity in the Indian team. And that batting position, of No.5 and 6, he will perform well in that spot and can end up being a brilliant finisher. We all have seen MS Dhoni and Yuvraj Singh. After that we haven’t got a player like them,” said More in a conversation with Jio Cinema.

On Friday, Rinku debuted for India in T20Is in the series opener against Ireland, but didn’t get to bat as rain meant the visitors won by two runs via DLS method. “We tried making such players, but it didn’t work so far. Tilak Varma is also there, he too can perform that role. Rinku is also a brilliant fielder. And I have seen him in domestic cricket as well, he has improved a lot I feel,” added More, a former chief selector.

Abhishek Nayar, the Kolkata Knight Riders assistant coach who has worked closely with Rinku for the last six years, agreed with More’s views and pointed out that the left-handed batter is fit to bat at number five or six in T20Is.

“With Hardik Pandya transforming into a role of a batter and playing higher up the order, you need someone down the order who can finish off the job for you. You did have someone like Axar Patel for it, but Rinku is tailor-made.”

“He has been a prolific run-getter across formats in domestic cricket. It is just about grooming him and constantly giving those opportunities. The last player India had tagged as a finisher was Dinesh Karthik.”

“Hardik had performed that role terrifically as well, but he has now evolved as a batter who can take responsibility up the order. That is why the outlook towards Rinku should be the same as we are looking towards Tilak,” concluded Nayar, the former India all-rounder.

New Delhi, July 30 (IANS) Uttar Pradesh and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) batter Rinku Singh has revealed that everyone at his home was elated and danced when they heard the news of him getting selected in the Indian squad for the Asian Games.

Despite doing well in domestic cricket for many seasons and having a terrific IPL 2023 season where he scored 474 runs in 14 matches for KKR, Rinku wasn't picked in the Indian squad from the T20s series in the Caribbean.  

However, the left-handed batter later made the cut for Asian Games 2023, which is scheduled to be held in Hangzhou, China.

"Everyone at home wanted me to play for India and when I got selected everyone danced. Everyone was happy," Rinku Singh said in a video posted on the BCCI website.

The 25-year-old-year also revealed how life has changed for him after he smacked five sixes in an over of Gujarat Titans pacer Yash Dayal during IPL 2023 season.

"After those five sixes life changed a lot. People knew me at the time but I was not that popular after that a lot of people came to know about me," Rinku said.

"It was a special innings since that knock everyone started to call me lord. In the game against Gujarat Titans earlier this year when Knight Riders looked like their chances were slim Rinku pulled off a heist," he added.

Mumbai, July 6 (IANS) Ajit Agarkar, the new chairman of the men's national selection committee, on Thursday, came under fire after the panel led by the former India and Mumbai pacer picked Yashasvi Jaiswal and Tilak Varma ahead of Ruturaj Gaikwad and Rinku Singh in the T20 team for the five-match series against West Indies in the Caribbean.

Both Jaiswal and Varma were picked in the 15-member squad led by Hardik Pandya that will play five T20 matches against the West Indies from August 5.

The move by the Agarkar-led committee to pick players with significant connection with Mumbai -- Jaiswal plays for Mumbai in domestic cricket, while Varma represents Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League, has irked some fans with many of them alleging a "Mumbai mafia" at works. Most of the adverse reaction has come in for the decision not to pick Rinku Singh.

While Jaiswal is an opener just like Ruturaj Gaikwad, who is from Maharashtra and represents IPL champions Chennai Super Kings, Tital Varma and Rinku Singh are middle-order batters. 

Incidentally, Gaikwad was picked by the Agarkar-less selection committee for both the Test and ODI parts of the multi-format tour of the West Indies. 

On the statistical front, Rinku Singh has slightly better figures than Tilak Varma, having scored 474 runs in 14 matches in IPL 2023 at an average of 59.25 and a strike rate of 149.52. 

Tilak Varma, who was in equally good form for Mumbai Indians in the IPL 2023, is also a middle-order and left-hand batter like Rinku and scored 343 runs in 11 matches at an average of 42.87 and a strike rate of 164.11.

Livid fans took to social media to flay the Ajit Agarkar-led committee for ignoring the Uttar Pradesh-born Rinku Singh.

"Ajith Agarkar (sic) became Chief Selector and Mumbai Mafia at work immediately. How can you pick Tilak over Rinku Singh? Jaiswal over Ruturaj? Mukesh/Avesh over Mohsin Khan? This is a ridiculous selection. Sanju Samson might feel extremely lucky to survive," wrote a fan going by the handle @KattaVillain.

Other fans too were as brutal in their reaction to the selection committee's decision as they drew comparisons with another player Sarfaraz Khan of Mumbai who was ignored by the SS Das-led panel.

"Rinku Singh is the only player in history to win TWO matches off the last ball in the same IPL season. He averages 58 in FC and 53 in List-A cricket, they ignored him. Feeling for Rinku Singh. I just hope he isn't another Sarfaraz Khan in Indian circuit #WIvIND," said a fan named Farid Khan (@_FaridKhan).

Another Twitter user pointed out Rinku Singh not having a godfather in Indian cricket.

"He is Rinku singh, KKR batsman. He hails from a poor background, marginalised society, became cricketer after a lot of struggles, scored 470+ runs IPL 2023. 

"He surpassed many greats this season. But today he has not been selected for Ind vs WI T20 series. Rinku has everything like talent and class but he doesn’t have any Godfather," said a user going by the name Dr Nimo Yadav (@niiravmodi).

Said another Twitter user, "Tilak Varma is selected I'm happy for him but why not Rinku Singh just why not? He performs in IPL. He performs in domestic (cricket). What else he can do? It hurts."

"This is ridiculous, Rinku Singh performed so well in the last IPL, Tilak is nowhere in front of him, this is favouritism by Rohit, he himself doesn't perform and is trying to make the Indian team full of MI people, shameless," wrote another user on Twitter.

New Delhi, May 20 (IANS) Former India cricketer Harbhajan Singh opined young Rinku Singh was the X-factor for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) this season and not star all-rounder Andre Russell.

Rinku has been the standout performer for the two-time IPL champions. He has scored 407 runs in 13 matches this season at a strike rate of 143.31 and an average of 50.88.

"Now Rinku has become the X-factor for KKR, not Russell. Russell's era is gone. It's Rinku's time now. Even if Rinku is sent up, he can do justice to his role. He is a player of different calibre and we will soon see an India cap on his head," Harbhajan said while speaking on Star Sports' Cricket Live.

Meanwhile, former India chief coach Ravi Shastri said that Rinku is the star of the KKR team and has a very strong attitude.

"Rinku Singh is the hero of Kolkata Knight Riders. His temperament is very strong and gets very comfortable in tough situations. He's a battle-hardened player. Rinku likes close matches and this ability to do well in crunch situations is what separates this player from others," said Shastri.

New Delhi, May 18 (IANS) Former India head coach Ravi Shastri has selected Yashasvi Jaiswal and Rinku Singh as the young batters that have impressed him in ongoing IPL 2023 and feels that the two left-handed batters can present a late case for being part of this year's Men's ODI World Cup in case the national side is hit by further injuries.

"One is (Yashasvi) Jaiswal, simply because of the way he's played this season. And for me it is a marked improvement from what I saw from him last year, which is a very, very positive sign."

"It shows that there's a young guy prepared to work on his game, sort out things, get a more all-round game into play and he's done that this season. Just the power with which he's re-taking shots. Just the pockets he's hitting around the ground as opposed to last year is very good," said Shastri in the latest episode of The ICC Review show.

Jaiswal has been a standout batter for Rajasthan Royals with 575 runs in 13 innings, while Rinku lit up the tournament with his five straight final-over sixes for Kolkata Knight Riders against Gujarat Titans in the early part of the league stage. As of now, Rinku has amassed 407 runs in 13 innings.

"The other bloke is Rinku Singh, which is a great story. The more I see of him, that guy has got a fabulous temperament. He's tough as nails. Both these guys have come through very hard backgrounds."

"They've worked very hard initially in their lives and nothing's come easy for them. So you can see that hunger, that passion, that drive that is so needed to make it to the top," added Shastri, a member of the 1983 ODI World Cup winning team.

He further noted that young left-handed batters Tilak Varma, B Sai Sudharsan and right-handed finisher Jitesh Sharma, who have produced outstanding performances in IPL 2023, can also be in the mix alongside Jaiswal and Rinku. "As far as batting goes, there's Tilak Varma, there's Jitesh Sharma from Punjab (Kings) too who is a wicket-keeper-batter who's pretty dangerous and has stood out."

"There's even Sai Sudarshan, a left-hander (who has also caught the eye). But I would put Tilak Varma, I would put Jaiswal, I'd put Rinku Singh. (They) are the candidates who can really push through along with Ruturaj Gaikwad, who's been around for a while."

"These are the guys who can push for selection, depending on their form closer to the World Cup. And depending on injuries. If there are injuries to any key players, then these guys can come straight away into the mix," concluded Shastri.

Kolkata, May 11 (IANS) Kolkata Knight Riders batter Rinku Singh has come in for praise from former India stars Mohammed Kaif and Harbhajan Singh with the off-spinner claiming an India call-up is not far away from the explosive middle-order batter.

In 11 matches so far, Rinku Singh has scored 337 runs at an average of 56.17 and a strike rate of 151.12 with an unbeaten 58 as his highest score so far. He has struck two half-centuries in IPL 2023 so far.

With Kolkata Knight Riders set to take on Rajasthan Royals at the Eden Gardens on Thursday. KRR have 10 points from the 11 matches so far, winning five matches. They have two more games in hand against Chennai Super Kings and Lucknow Super Giants as they fight for a place in the Playoffs.

Rinku has played a vital role in IPL 2023 and KKR will be hoping that he will continue to fire in the remaining matches too. KKR need to win the match against the Sanju Samson-led Royals, who have lost four of their last five games. A loss against KKR will dent Rajasthan Royals' playoffs prospects.

Former India off-spinner Harbhajan Singh, who has spent some time in the KKR dressing room, believes Rinku's growth story will help him earn the elusive India cap soon.

Speaking on Star Sports' Cricket Live, Harbhajan said, "That India cap is not far away from Rinku's head. He's such an inspirational player. He's run all the hard yards and worked very hard to get to where he is today. Full credit to him for having that belief in himself. His journey is a life lesson and all young kids should learn from him."

Former India cricketer Mohammed Kaif also praised KKR star batter Rinku Singh for taking his game to the next level with his maturity in IPL 2023.

Speaking on Star Sports' Cricket Live, Md Kaif said, "Rinku Singh has that maturity. His footwork is very good and he looks to rotate strikes as well. Rinku knows how to convert his form into good knocks and also knows when to shift gears. He is capable of hitting big shots as well."