The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) recently announced the selection of a second-string squad for the upcoming Asian Games. This decision comes as the ICC ODI World Cup is set to begin on October 5. A young Indian team, led by Ruturaj Gaikwad, will represent the nation in this regional multi-sports tournament. Notably, the BCCI has given several fringe players their first opportunity to play in the T20I side, and Rinku Singh is among them.
Rinku gained widespread recognition during the last IPL 2023 season while playing for the Kolkata Knight Riders. In a remarkable display of skill, he smashed five sixes off the last five balls of a match, leading his team to victory. In an interview with RevSportz, Rinku expressed his gratitude for being selected and stated that he would dedicate his debut for India to his family, who have witnessed his struggles up close.
“Everyone dreams to play for India, wear that jersey. I don’t think a lot about the future because the more you think, the more burden you put yourself under. I take life as one day at a time. But yes, whoever takes up professional sports wants to represent their country one day or the other,” Rinku said.
“I know for a fact that my family, my parents will be happier than me to see me wear the Indian jersey. They have been waiting for this for years now. They have seen my struggle, they have helped me, been with me through all my ups and downs. The day I don the jersey will be a day dedicated to them,” he added.
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The southpaw also disclosed how his conversation with former India captain MS Dhoni during the IPL 2023 proved beneficial for him.
"The chatter with Mahi bhai (MS Dhoni) was really productive. He has also batted in similar numbers as I do – at 5 or 6 – and he has done it for the majority of his career and knows the position in and out. I simply asked him how to better my game, and his advice was very simple: You are batting really well. Continue whatever you have done so far,” said Rinku.
The Men's squad for the Asian Games 2023 will consist of second-string players, with Ruturaj Gaikwad leading the team. On the other hand, the Women's squad will be at full strength, led by Harmanpreet Kaur. The Women's matches will kick off on September 19th and wrap up on September 27th. Following that, the men's matches will commence from September 28th and run until October 7th.
