Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) star and Indian national cricket team batsman Rinku Singh has been named the captain of the Uttar Pradesh team for the upcoming Vijay Hazare Trophy, which is set to begin on December 21.
Rinku Singh will take over the captaincy from the veteran pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumarwho captained the team at the recently concluded Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.
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As the captain of Uttar Pradesh, I have a bigger role to play and I am ready for it – Rinku Singh
Rinku Singh does not have much experience as a captain and his stint in the Vijay Hazare Trophy will be the first time he will captain a state team at the senior level. However, the 27-year-old is ready for the challenge.
He said he enjoyed his stint as captain of Meerut Mavericks in the UPT20 League and those experiences will come in handy in the upcoming 50-over competition. Rinku Singh also revealed that he has been working hard to improve his bowling.
“It was a great opportunity for me to lead Meerut Mavericks in the UPT20 League and I am happy that I could deliver. I really enjoyed the captaincy as it allowed me to learn a lot,” he was quoted as saying by ESPNCricinfo .
“I also tried bowling (offspin) in the UPT20 league. Today's cricket requires a complete package – a cricketer who can bat, bowl and bowl. Now I am also focusing on my bowling. As the captain of Uttar Pradesh, I have a bigger role to play and I am ready for it.”
I don't think much of KKR's captaincy – Rinku Singh
A good campaign with Uttar Pradesh in the Vijay Hazare Trophy could act as a springboard for Rinku Singh to captain the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) won the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 title under his leadership Shreyas Iyerwho was released from the franchise and they couldn't buy him back at auction.
After not getting Shreyas Iyer, KKR bid heavily for Venkatesh Iyer and roped him in for ₹23.75. Many felt the all-rounder would lead the team next season after being bought for a hefty sum, but Ajinkya Rahane is also one of the top contenders for the role, according to reports.
As nothing has been finalised, Rinku Singh was asked if he is thinking about captaining KKR. Responding to this, the left-handed batsman said that he is not thinking about it at all and is fully focused on leading Uttar Pradesh in the VHT. He stated:
“I am not thinking much about the captaincy of KKR in the new IPL season. I am focused on my plans for Uttar Pradesh as I want my team to win back the trophy that we won for the first time in 2015-16.”
Even now I feel that if God has decided something for me, I will definitely get it – Rinku Singh
Rinku Singh is a permanent member of the Indian T20I squad but is not in the scheme of things in ODIs. With Champions Trophy 2025 around the corner, the selection committee will be keeping an eye on the performance of key players and Rinku would be one of them.
However, the batsman is only focused on working hard and has left everything in God's hands. Rinku Singh explained:
“I believe in God. I didn't even think about being part of Team India when I hit five consecutive sixes in the IPL last year. This turned out to be the biggest game changer in my life. Even now I feel that if God has decided something for me, I will definitely achieve it, but at the same time I have to work hard at my job.”