'He is somebody I’d call a left-handed Dhoni' - Ravichandran Ashwin applauds Rinku Singh for composed batting

Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin showered praise on Rinku Singh and labelled him a 'left-handed Dhoni' due to his composed batting in challenging situations. Ashwin clarified that while there's no direct comparison to the legendary Dhoni, Rinku has garnered admiration for his calm demeanour at the crease. Following a stellar IPL 2023 season, Rinku had earned a spot in India's T20I squad as he showcased his skills in finishing matches.

His standout performance came in the third T20I against Afghanistan in Bengaluru, where he smashed an unbeaten 69 off 39 balls and rescued India from a precarious 22 for 4. Partnering with captain Rohit Sharma, the Uttar Pradesh batter contributed to an unbeaten 190-run partnership for the fifth wicket and solidified his impact on the international stage.

“He is somebody I’d call a left-handed Dhoni. I can’t compare him to Dhoni just yet because Dhoni is too big. But, I am talking about the composure that he brings. He has been consistently scoring buckets of runs for UP and broke his way into the Indian team. He was on the KKR bench for many years. People used to tell me that, when he was at KKR, even though he couldn’t get the chance to bat at practice, he collected all the balls that batters hit in throwdowns and gave them back to the bowler,” Ashwin said on his YouTube channel.

“Since then, he has been with the franchise for so long, put in the hard work for UP and showed that he’s always available to get to the Indian team out of a tricky situation or finish an innings. The composure doesn’t change whether the team is batting first or chasing. His composure towards the back end of the innings is a bonus,” he added.

Rinku Singh on a verge of becoming T20I maverick

Having debuted in August 2023 against Ireland in Dublin, the 26-year-old has rapidly made a mark in T20Is. With 356 runs in 11 innings at a remarkable average of 89 and a striking strike rate of 176.23, the left-hander has displayed impressive form. Accompanying his stellar stats are two half-centuries, including a recent unbeaten 69 against Afghanistan and a notable 68 not out off 39 balls against South Africa in Gqeberha last December.