KOLKATA: Andre Russell might have won the Player of the Match award but it was Rinku Singh who won hearts on Monday. A packed Eden Gardens began chanting "Rinku, Rinku" even when Kolkata Knight Riders' acclaimed finisher Russell was still at the crease, proving that Rinku is rising quickly up the popularity charts.
Rinku, who had already caught eyeballs by smashing five sixes in a row to seal an incredible victory over reigning champions Gujarat Titans earlier in the tournament, was again at it on Monday night, pulling off a dramatic five-wicket victory in a must-win game with a last ball boundary against Punjab Kings.
Russell himself was all praise for the 25-year-old Rinku's effort. The West Indies cricketer brought a tricky chase under control, hitting three sixes off Sam Curran's penultimate over of the match. Needing six in the last over, Punjab left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh kept things tight, giving away just four runs from five deliveries before Russell was run out for 42 off 23 balls, ending the 54-run, fifth-wicket stand with Rinku.
"Definitely in any other game, with any other batter I'm not sure if I would have run (for that). I've never really done those things before. I would back myself to bat till the last delivery and get the job done," Russell said.
"But when you have a batter like Rinku at the other end and who has been successful in the past few games for us, I was definitely confident," Russell said after the victory. "I have faith in him to finish it. I get goosebumps seeing him doing what he's been doing. I have company at the back end."
Ex-India cricketer Mohammad Kaif was impressed with Rinku's confidence. "An uncapped Indian player like Rinku Singh asking a finisher like Russell to come to the non-striker's end on the fifth ball of the over shows the confidence this player has in his game. This, for me, is a story of the IPL," Kaif said while commentating.
Russell felt Rinku's ability to stay calm in any situation works for him. "The key for Rinku is he's very calm. When you are a batter, you have to have an open mind and be relaxed. Rinku gets into a position from where he can face any delivery, and he has a shot for it. His technique is very simple," Russell said.
The allrounder, however, had a word of caution for Rinku. "No matter how many people keep shouting 'Russell, Russell, Russell', I always just you get swell-headed, that's when you lose it. He's a great guy, I love him like a brother and I hope he keeps doing what he's doing," Russell stated.
