Every moment in the middle with Rohit Sharma is a masterclass in learning: Rinku Singh

Ever since Rinku Singh made his debut for India, the swashbuckling batter has stolen the show multiple times with his match-winning performances. Notably, in the third T20I against Afghanistan, the youngster came out to bat under a lot of pressure, as the hosts were 22/4 at one stage at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. The 26-year-old however kept his calm and stitched an unbroken 190-run partnership with skipper Rohit Sharma, which helped India post 212 runs on the board.

Rinku made 69* runs off 39 deliveries, while Rohit smacked 121* runs off 69 deliveries. The duo dominated the Afghan bowling unit as the Ibrahim Zadran-led side ran out of options at one point. None of their plans worked against the duo as they looked ruthless in the middle. Meanwhile, this was for the first time when Rinku batted alongside Rohit in international cricket. Speaking about his experience, the Aligarh-born batter mentioned that every moment in the middle with the 36-year-old was a masterclass in learning.

“Every moment in the middle with @rohitsharma45 bhaiya is a masterclass in learning, fun and entertainment. Series win vibes,” Rinku posted on Instagram. 

Meanwhile, despite proving himself so many times in the shortest format, Rinku’s place in the playing XI for the T20 World Cup is not yet cemented. The likes of Suryakumar Yadav and Hardik Pandya are expected to make their return in the mega tournament, which can jeopardise his spot in the playing XI. 

The upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League will hold a lot of value for Rinku in that case. If he keeps up with his form and keeps producing match-winning knocks for Kolkata Knight Riders, the cricketer will be in the reckoning. In the 2023 edition of the competition, he made 474 runs in 14 matches and soon after that, he made his debut for the national team.

On the other hand, former cricketer Suresh Raina lauded Rinku for his blistering knock in the third T20I. Calling him a ‘rockstar’, Raina congratulated him in the comment section.