Indian left-handed batter Rinku Singh made a huge revelation that he would join Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) if Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) doesn’t retain him in the IPL 2025 mega auction.
The 26-year-old cricketer rose to fame after smashing five sixes off the last over bowled by the Gujarat Titans’ medium pacer Yash Dayal in the league stages of Indian Premier League IPL 2023 and guided his team to a thrilling 7-wicket victory. Since then, he became the first choice for selectors as an explosive finishing batter and marked his international debut in the same year. Also, he played several match-winning knocks for India.
However, Rinku Singh didn’t get an opportunity to play for India in the T20 World Cup 2024, despite being one of the four reserve players. Moreover, he was sidelined by BCCI selectors for the forthcoming Duleep Trophy 2024, which is set to start on September 5 in Ananthapur. Since he hasn’t given his best performance in domestic cricket, Rinku wasn’t selected in any of the four squads announced by BCCI on 14th August 2024.
As the mega auction is confirmed to take place, the franchises will not be allowed to retain more than four to five players. Rinku Singh was questioned about his alternative plans if KKR releases him. Instead of choosing the five-time champion teams such as Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Mumbai Indians (MI), Rinku wants to play along with Virat Kohli for RCB, which was the main reason he stated.
Why Rinku Singh is interested in joining RCB?
Considering the huge fan base for the team and having legendary players such as Virat Kohli in the squad, Rinku Singh shows his interest and preparedness to face new challenges and improve his progress in his cricketing career.
In a recent interview with Sports Today, Rinku Singh was asked which team he would play if KKR wouldn’t retain him. In response, the young Indian batter gave his honest opinion:
“Of course! It is RCB because Virat Kohli is there in the team”, Rinku Singh said.
Furthermore, Rinku was asked if he was aware of the retention policies for the next season:
“Not Sure! At present, I’m not aware of any information. Moreover, I haven’t been informed about the retention policies, and I’m not 100% sure of what exactly is going to happen in the mega auction. Let’s wait and see what is going to happen,” Rinku Singh shared additional facts.
Rinku Singh and Virat Kohli’s Special Bonding:
Mainly, Rinku Singh mentioned how he shares a special bond with India’s star batter Virat Kohli:
“Yeah! Virat Bhai previously gave me a bat which I broke. Then I requested him to give me another bat, and he didn’t say anything and gave me a new bat. It is a memorable thing for me that he provided me with another bat,” Rinku Singh said highlighting it as a main proof of his understanding with RCB’s core player.
Rinku Singh Not Selected for Duleep Trophy 2024:
Speaking about his absence in the Duleep Trophy 2024 first round of matches, Rinku Singh said that he wasn’t at his best in domestic cricket, which was the main reason:
“No! I didn’t perform well in the domestic season. I played only 2 to 3 matches in the Ranji Trophy and wasn’t able to participate in many games. It is a fact to accept that I didn’t play well, so I wasn’t selected for the forthcoming tournament. Possibly, I might get an opportunity to play in the tournament for the next round of matches” Rinku Singh clarified.
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Overall Facts:
Rinku Singh made his last appearance for Team India during the 3-match T20I series against Sri Lanka in July 2024. Especially, he proved his bowling abilities by picking up two wickets in his single-over spell. He proves to the cricketing world that he could be a reliable player for the team by contributing effectively with both bat and ball in crucial moments of a match.
Earlier, in 2017, Rinku Singh was acquired by Kings XI Punjab (currently known as Punjab Kings) but didn’t play a single game in that season. In January 2018, KKR brought him for INR 80 lakhs during the mega auction. Once again in the 2022 mega auction, the finishing batter was brought back into the team for INR 55 lakhs.
Moreover, Rinku was part of KKR for the last two seasons. Although his contributions were significant to the team, it was limited due to the implementation of the impact player rule. It is understood that Rinku Singh’s special bond with Virat Kohli encourages him to join RCB for the next season.
Regardless of which team Rinku Singh plays for in the IPL 2025, it is expected that he will become a core player in the league because of the changing path in his cricketing career.
