A few months before the next IPL edition, Rinku has been named the captain of Uttar Pradesh for the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2024-25. However, Rinku is not thinking very far ahead of the time, and just wants to focus on the domestic competition.

“I am not overthinking about the captaincy of KKR in the new IPL season,” he told ESPNCricinfo.

“I am focused on my plans for Uttar Pradesh, as I want my team to regain the trophy we had won for the first time in 2015-16,” he added.

Rinku recently captained Meerut Mavericks and led them to the Uttar Pradesh T20 (UPT20) League title. He has bowled one over reach in ODIs, t20Is, and has taken three wickets.

The post ‘Focused on plans for…’: Rinku Singh makes a BIG statement on Captaining Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL 2025 appeared first on Cricket Country.

Rinku Singh for 13 crore, Varun Chakravarthy for 12 crore, Sunil Narine for 12 crore, Andre Russell for 12 crore, Harshit Rana for 4 crore, and Ramandeep Singh for 4 crore are the six players that have been retained by the franchise.

Since they spent 13 crore for the left-handed batter, Rinku came out to be the top player retained by KKR before the mega auctions set to be held later this year.

With BCCI exploring the possibility of holding the auctions overseas, the auctions are to be held in November or December.

Abu Dhabi and the United Arab Emirates are coming out as the possible venues for the auctions. Muscat and Doha are also being taken into consideration.

The post KKR’s official retention list: Rinku chosen as top pick, Iyer surprisingly released appeared first on Cricket Country.

5) Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill

Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubhman Gill have the smallest number in this record for 165 runs when batting against West Indies in 2023.

4) KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma

KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma have also made the same number of runs as Yashasvi and Shubman but their overall stats have been better and hence they secure the 4th position with 165 runs as well, but against Sri Lanka in 2017.

3) Sanju Samson and Suryakumar Yadav

The destructive pair of Sanju Samson and Suryakumar Yadav secure the middle spot with their partnership in the recently concluded T20I series against Bangladesh. The pair made 173 runs against Bangladesh this very year.

2) Deepak Hooda and Sanju Samson

The oldest recorded score in the list goes to the partnership of Deepak and Sanju for their game of 176 runs against Ireland in 2022.

1) Rohit Sharma and Rinku Singh

The top spot is secured by the explosive pair of Rohit Sharma and Rinku Singh. the duo have managed to score 190 runs against Afghanistan this very year.

The post Highest Partnership for India in T20Is appeared first on Cricket Country.

Another youngster, Rinku Singh also scored a fantastic fifty before Hardik Pandya and Riyan Parag’s cameos added the finishing touches. Skipper Suryakumar Yadav was delighted after seeing these fabulous performances and showered praise on the Indian team’s young guns.

“I wanted my middle-order to bat under pressure and express themselves. I’m really happy with the way Rinku and Nitish played. They batted exactly as I wanted,” Suryakumar said.

India used a total of seven bowlers despite Hardik Pandya not bowling. Remarkably, all seven bowlers took at least one wicket, a first.

“I wanted to see what different bowlers could do in various situations. Sometimes Hardik won’t bowl, sometimes Washington Sundar won’t bowl. I’m very happy with the way the bowlers stepped up,” Suryakumar further said.

Despite the recent retirements of senior players like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja from the format, the new and young Indian players have performed admirably so far, completing series triumphs over Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

The post “Batted exactly as I wanted”: Suryakumar praises Team India youngsters appeared first on Cricket Country.

Gone to bat first, India posted a promising score of 221 runs for 9, and then restricted the visitors at 135 for 9. This marked the biggest win against Bangladesh fir the Men In Blue.

Veteran player Mahmudullah, set to retire after the last match of this series, went with a long battle of 39-ball 41.

Sanju Samson started India’s innings with a few boundaries but could not manage to go for a long time. Abhishek Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav also went back shortly after, resulting in India being at 41 for 3 by the end of sixth over.

Nitish Kumar Reddy and Rinku Singh were the anchor player for India’s innings as they posted 34-ball 76 and 29-ball53 respectively, and posted super strong partnership of 108 runs.

Hardik Pandya then went on to score 19-ball 32 and then India’s innings concluded with a score of 221.

Scores:
India:- 221/9 in 20 overs-
Bangladesh:- 135/9 in 20 overs

The post India wins three-match T20I series against Bangladesh with 2 victories appeared first on Cricket Country.

“The selectors have named Pratham Singh (Railways) as a replacement for Gill, Akshay Wadkar (Vidarbha CA) as a replacement for KL Rahul and SK Rasheed (Andhra CA) as a replacement for Jurel,” stated the BCCI in a release.

“Left-arm spinner Shams Mulani will replace Kuldeep in the squad whereas Aaqib Khan (UPCA) will replace Akashdeep in the squad.”

Gill has been replaced as the captain of India A by Mayank Agarwal.

The selectors have chosen Suyash Prabhudessai and Rinku Singh to replace Jaiswal and Pant.

Axar leaves the India D team and is replaced by Nishant Sandhu. Due to a niggle, pacer Tushar Deshpande will not be playing in this match. Vidwath Kaverappa of India A will take his place.

The India C team, captained by Ruturaj Gaikwad, is unchanged.

In the Duleep Trophy opener, Pant—who hasn’t played red ball cricket since December 2022—as well as K L Rahaul and Akash Deep both performed admirably.

Updated India A squad: Mayank Agarwal (C), Riyan Parag, Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube, Tanush Kotian, Prasidh Krishna, Khaleel Ahmed, Avesh Khan, Kumar Kushagra, Shaswat Rawat, Pratham Singh, Akshay Wadkar, SK Rasheed, Shams Mulani, Aaqib Khan.

Updated India B squad: Abhimanyu Easwaran (C), Sarfaraz Khan, Musheer Khan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Navdeep Saini, Mukesh Kumar, Rahul Chahar, R Sai Kishore, Mohit Awasthi, N Jagadeesan (WK), Suyash Prabhudessai, Rinku Singh, Himanshu Mantri (WK).

Updated India D squad: Shreyas lyer (C), Atharva Taide, Yash Dubey, Devdutt Padikkal, Ricky Bhui, Saransh Jain, Arshdeep Singh, Aditya Thakare, Harshit Rana, Akash Sengupta, KS Bharat (WK), Saurabh Kumar, Sanju Samson (WK), Nishant Sindhu, Vidwath Kaverappa.

The post Duleep Trophy Update: Rinku Singh Called in for Second Round as National Players Head to International Matches appeared first on Cricket Country.

Sarfaraz was a member of the India B XI that won the opening Duleep Trophy match in Bengaluru by a score of 76 runs against India A. In the second innings, he struck seven fours and a six during an impressive 46 off just 36 balls. Before India’s domestic season kicks off on September 19 with the Bangladesh Test series, he would like to add a significant amount of runs to his bankroll.

The Mumbai batsman is unlikely to be included in India’s starting lineup for the first Test match of the series in Chennai, despite having an outstanding start to his international career with three half-centuries in three Test matches against England earlier this year. Due to KL Rahul’s injury, Sarfaraz was awarded his Test cap in the middle of the England series. Rahul is now expected to return to the starting XI.

A lot of changes are in store for the Duleep Trophy teams before the next round of matches, which gets underway in Anantapur on September 12. The majority of Test players, with the exception of Sarfaraz Khan, will be removed from the competition; Rinku Singh, a batter from Uttar Pradesh, will be added to the India B team.

It was unexpected that Rinku Singh was left out of the first Duleep Trophy selections, but the left-hander will start in the starting lineup for the match during the second round.

Shubman Gill, KL Rahul, Dhruv Jurel, Kuldeep Yadav, and Akash Deep are among the players who will depart from India A. Pratham Singh, Akshay Wadkar, Shaik Rasheed, Shams Mulani, and Pulkit Narang will take their place.

Fast bowler Vidhwath Kaverappa is probably going to go from India A to India D. Suyash Prabhudesai, Himanshu Mantri, and Rinku Singh will take the place of Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rishabh Pant, and Yash Dayal for India B.

India D will be without Axar Patel and the injured Tushar Deshpande, but Kaverappa and Nishant Sindhu will be added to their team. India C will not be impacted.

Regarding Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan, and Prasidh Krishna—all of whom missed their first-round matches because of injuries—there is currently no update available. Surya and Prasidh, however, are recovering as planned.

India A: Mayank Agarwal, Riyan Parag, Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube, Tanush Kotian, Khaleel Ahmed, Avesh Khan, Kumar Kushagra, Shaswat Rawat, Pratham Singh, Akshay Wadkar, Shaik Rasheed, Shams Mulani, Pulkit Narang

India B: Abhimanyu Easwaran (capt), Sarfaraz Khan, Musheer Khan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Navdeep Saini, Mukesh Kumar, Rahul Chahar, R Sai Kishore, Mohit Awasthi, N Jagadeesan (wk), Rinku Singh, Suyash Prabhudesai, Himanshu Mantri

India C: Ruturaj Gaikwad (capt), Sai Sudharsan, Rajat Patidar, Abishek Porel (wk), B Indrajith, Hrithik Shokeen, Manav Suthar, Gaurav Yadav, Vyshak Vijaykumar, Anshul Khamboj, Himanshu Chauhan, Mayank Markande, Aryan Juyal (wk), Sandeep Warrier

India D: Shreyas Iyer (capt), Atharva Taide, Yash Dubey, Devdutt Padikkal, Sanju Samson (wk), Ricky Bhui, Saransh Jain, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Aditya Thakare, Harshit Rana, Akash Sengupta, KS Bharat (wk), Saurabh Kumar, Vidhwath Kaverappa, Nishant Sindhu

The post Sarfaraz Khan to Stay in Duleep Trophy Despite India Test Selection; Rinku Singh Returns appeared first on Cricket Country.

There would be school buses that would pass through his locality and children peeking out of the window would start hooting “Riinnnkuuuu Siiiinghhhhh, Riiiinnnkuuuuu Siiiinghhhh, five sixes, five sixes,”, a stern reminder of his son Yash’s ordeal during that fateful evening in Ahmedabdad when his Uttar Pradesh’s statemate got instant stardom and subsequently a national call-up hitting him for five sixes in a final over of an IPL game between Gujarat Titans and KKR.

“Humare liye woh ek hadsa tha (It was like an accident for us),” Chanderpal, a retired officer with Accountant General’s Office in Allahabad’s voice choked while recalling those days in 2023.

“When the school bus went by, children would cry out, ‘Rinku Singh, Rinku Singh, five sixes.'” Why did my son have to go through this? It was excruciating. He was crying so hard it was obvious.

Though Yash’s redemption story is the stuff of legends for the Dayal family, sports really is a great leveler. On September 19, he received his first Test call-up against Bangladesh in Chennai.

After going from being the target of professional trolls to being regarded as a stronger Test bowler than two white ball India internationals, Khaleel Ahmed and Arshdeep Singh, Yash has completed the circle of Fame Game.

And who wouldn’t concur that the real thing in cricket is Test cricket? Test cricket is tantalising “mutton keema”, Yash’s favorite meal, which his family gorged on while commemorating his first national call-up. T20 cricket is still a tasty desert.

But things weren’t the same fifteen months ago. Let alone enjoying a treat like mutton keema, Yash’s mother Radha abstained from eating for days after observing their son remain silent and despondent following that “Rinku Night.”

“As Yash disappeared into a shell, his mother Radha became unwell and stopped eating due to her extreme distress. In order to help him rebuild his career, the Titans also dismissed him. Chanderpal recalls everything if it was yesterday.

“Yash fell ill, but we never let him think about giving up. We, as a family, made a pledge. “Jab tak tum (Yash) India nahin khelogey, chodenge nahin. India tum khelke rahoge (We won’t stop until you play for India. You will play for India).”

“Me and my family would keep motivating him to ensure that he never thinks of giving up. And today, he’s in front of you,” pride was palpable in his voice.

As the saying goes, “tough times pass, but tough men endure.” Chanderpal was forced to give his son Stuart Broad’s example, who, despite suffering six sixes, barely seemed to be bothered and ended up with 600 Test wickets.

That same night, we told him that this wasn’t the first time it had happened and that it probably wouldn’t be the last. Stuart Broad became one of the greatest seam bowlers of all time after being hit six sixes by Yuvraj Singh.”

Dayal’s tale today stands as a testament to resiliency and redemption, demonstrating that successes frequently speak louder than failures.

“It can’t get bigger than this for a father. For any cricketer, representing the country in Tests is the ultimate dream. It’s a huge day for us, for our family, and for our friends. The entire credit goes to him. No matter how hard I would have tried, it was his efforts that got him where he has reached today.”

“Yash is a God-gifted natural talent. I never had to teach him the nuances of cricket. My family and I just made him mentally stronger,” you could allow a bit of indulgence from a proud father. Today is his day after all that he went through in last one year.

Dayal represented Royal Challengers Bangalore in the IPL 2024, taking 15 wickets in 14 games to demonstrate his development as a bowler and help them reach the playoffs.

In the ongoing Duleep Trophy, the India B pacer claimed three wickets in the second innings to help the India A team win by 76 runs in Bengaluru, showcasing his ability to swing the ball and keep composure under duress.

Taking the wickets of Mayank Agarwal, Riyan Parag, and Dhruv Jurel during his explosive opening session demonstrated his ready for bigger challenges. Selectors may be considering developing the left-arm pacer with the upcoming India-Australia Test series in mind.

When India A was 76/4 in the second innings and Yash had claimed three of the four wickets that morning, I got suspicious. He has made his claim; the selection committee now has the final say, I informed my family. Chandarpal stated, “They recognized his potential.”

“Quality is taken into consideration, yet everyone takes witchcraft. We can always trust on God. We had a quick conversation during which he invited us to Chennai to see the first Test against Bangladesh on September 19.

Although it would be challenging for him to make his debut right now—India often fields three spinners at home—Dayal might still be eligible for a Test cap if Mohammed Siraj is unable to recover fully.

“In Chennai, there is bounce available He has an edge because he is a left-hander; we will definitely go to the club think tank for the remaining decisions. “And our entire family will be going to Kanpur for the second test,” continued Chandarpal, who has six older brothers and one younger brother who are all residents of Allahabad.

The post From ‘Rinku Singh’ Taunts to Test Call-Up: Yash Dayal’s Remarkable Cricket Journey appeared first on Cricket Country.

Rania was asked to give his rating for the top five knocks in history of IPL, which included names of four Indians. The CSK legend named his knock as the fifth with an innings of 87 in just 25 balls.

In an interview on the 2 Sloggers Youtube Channel, Raina rated Rinku Singh’s play against Gujarat Titans (GT) during the 2023 IPL as the greatest knock in IPL history. For those who do not know, Rinku smashed 5 sixes on last five balls of the match and snatched a stunning win for KKR.

MS Dhoni was given the third place with his knock of 54 in 29 balls against PBKS (KXIP of that time) in 2010. This knock sealed CSK’s qualification for the playoffs and gradually resulted in their first-ever IPL title.

The last Indian player to secure the spot was given to the leading run-scorer in the IPL, Virat Kohli. Kohli’s knock of 113 in 50 balls during the 2016 season of IPL against PBKS (KXIP at that time) .

Suresh Raina picks his all time Top 5 IPL knocks:

1. Rinku Singh 48 vs GT
2. Chris Gayle 175 vs PW
3. MS Dhoni 54 vs PBKS
4. Virat Kohli 113 vs PBKS
5. Suresh Raina 87 vs PBKS pic.twitter.com/JkNWZZ0ziW

— Vahini🕊️ (@fairytaledustt_) September 3, 2024

The post Suresh Raina names the 5 best IPL knocks to ever be played appeared first on Cricket Country.

Fans and commentators debated this choice in great detail once it was made. Singh shared details from his chat with India’s captain, Rohit Sharma, who gave him encouraging words, after the roster was announced.

In a recent interview with News24, Rinku Singh discussed his feelings on his exclusion. He related the guidance that Rohit Sharma gave him, focusing on the importance of tenacity and the prospects that lie ahead.

“Haan woh (Rohit Sharma) aaye the samjane ki koi baat nahi, teri umar hi kya hai. World Cup aage bohot hai. Mehnat karte reh. Har do saal mein World Cup aata hai, uspe dhyaan de. Koi dikkat nahi hai, pareshan mat ho [He came to me and made me understand that it was okay; you are still very young. There will be many World Cups in the future. Keep working hard. There is a World Cup every two years, so focus on that. Don’t be disappointed],” Rinku quoted Rohit in the interview.

Rinku seems to have a more optimistic outlook on his future profession as a result of Rohit’s speech. The youthful cricket player emphasised that Rinku has the advantage of age and that further hard work and devotion will be necessary for him to succeed on the world stage.

Rinku acknowledged his respect for Virat Kohli’s assertive captaincy and his appreciation for Rohit’s leadership style despite not being a member of the starting eleven.

“I admire Rohit Sharma’s leadership. Virat Kohli is someone I also like since he is an aggressive team leader, which is really crucial. Thus, his leadership was excellent as well,” Rinku said, emphasizing the qualities he looks for in a leader.

By winning the 2024 T20 World Cup, the Rohit Sharma-led Indian squad put an end to their 11-year ICC trophy drought and further demonstrated the strength of Sharma’s leadership and the cohesiveness of the team. Rinku Singh’s maturity and potential as a future star in Indian cricket are highlighted by his good attitude and respect for his leaders, even though he was left out of the starting lineup.

The post Rinku Singh Shares Rohit Sharma’s Encouraging Words After Missing T20 World Cup Squad appeared first on Cricket Country.