Rinku Singh is the hero of Kolkata Knight Riders: Ravi Shastri

Former Team India head coach Ravi Shastri was full of praise for Kolkata Knight Riders' (KKR) rising star Rinku Singh. Rinku has been one of the most consistent performers for the Nitish Rana-led side, winning a couple of games with the bat in the last over of the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL). His most famous knock was when he struck Yash Dayal for five straight sixes in the final over of an IPL 2023 contest to help KKR beat defending champions Gujarat Titans (GT).

Rinku has amassed 353 runs in 12 matches this season at a strike rate of 146.47 and an average of 50.43. Many people have taken notice of the 25-year-old batter's performances, and some have speculated that he could easily get a call-up from the Indian team.

While speaking to Star Sports ahead of the battle between CSK and KKR, Shastri said that Rinku is the hero of the two-time IPL champions and has a very strong temperament. He also said that Rinku enjoys close matches and that his ability to perform effectively under pressure distinguishes him from the rest of the squad.

 "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.

Shastri urges national team selectors to give opportunities to Jaiswal and Singh

Shastri has urged that national team selectors give youngsters Yashasvi Jaiswal and Rinku Singh opportunities if they are searching for players for the 2023 Cricket World Cup. The 60-year-old stated that these two should be prioritized and selected for the T20 WC in the West Indies next year as well.

"If Team India is focussing on the ODI World Cup, the selectors should focus on giving maximum opportunities to youngsters like Yashasvi Jaiswal and Rinku Singh. These players should be fast-tracked and selected for next year's T20I in West Indies. Can be groomed for the World Cup. If the selectors don't pick him now, I don't know what else they are looking for," Shastri was quoted as saying by Republic.