Rinku Singh has built a reputation as one of Indian cricket’s most explosive finishers in T20s.
He came to the limelight on a historical night in the IPL 2023 when he smashed five sixes in one over, making him a star overnight. Fans have known him for power-hitting since then.
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In an exclusive chat with Times of India, Rinku admitted that he doesn’t want to be seen as just a T20 player. Instead, he dreams of following Uttar Pradesh (UP) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) legend Suresh Raina’s path of playing across formats.
Rinku Singh on his dream of playing Tests for India
In the exclusive interview, Rinku explained that while fans love his sixes, his record in domestic red-ball cricket shows he has the game for the longer format as well.
“I know fans love it when I hit sixes, and I’m really grateful for that. But my Ranji Trophy average is also very good — I average over 55 there. I’ve also played two ODIs for India and did well in one of them. So, it’s not like I’m only a T20 player. I believe I can perform in every format if I get the chance,” Rinku told Times of India.
“I don’t like being tagged as a one-format player; I see myself as an all-format player. My dream is to play Test cricket for India, and if I get the opportunity, I’ll be ready to grab it,” he added.
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Rinku also revealed how Suresh Raina has always been his cricketing idol. He said Raina keeps telling him to stay prepared for all situations.
Much like Raina, who played many key knocks in the middle order, Rinku wants to carry the same reputation for India.
"Suresh Raina bhaiya is my idol. He always tells me, “Rinku, be ready and prepared for everything.” I’d be very happy to play Tests for India and contribute there too," said Rinku.
"Raina bhaiya has played most of his matches at the position where I bat, and he has produced many match-winning knocks. I want to be the same kind of player for India across all formats," he added.
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How is Rinku Singh preparing ahead of Asia Cup 2025?
Rinku is playing the UP T20 League ahead of the Asia Cup. He has been in superb form in the state League, where he is leading Meerut Mavericks.
In a match against Kashi Rudras, Rinku produced a stunning unbeaten 78 off 48 balls and guided his team to victory in style.
Coming in at 26/3, Rinku took his time early on as he scored just seven runs off his first 20 balls. But then he shifted gears and smashed six fours and six sixes to finish the game in just 15.4 overs.
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Rinku has scored 295 runs at an average close to 60 and a strike rate of over 170 in the seven innings in the tournament so far.
The left-hander’s form is a huge boost for India as they prepare to defend their Asia Cup title in the UAE.