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Rinku Singh will lead Uttar Pradesh in the Vijay Hazare Trophy which has renewed focus on the possibility of him captaining KKR in IPL 2025.
Defending IPL champions Kolkata Knight Riders are brainstorming over the appointment of a new captain for the next season after releasing Shreyas Iyer who was then signed by Punjab Kings at the recent mega auction. Ajinkya Rahane and Venkatesh Iyer are the top two players who could land the job but Rinku Singh has also emerged as another potential candidate.
Rinku is set to captain Uttar Pradesh in the Vijay Hazare Trophy which means KKR management will be keeping a close watch on how he fares as a leader.
This will be the first time that Rinku is captaining a state team. However, his leadership credentials received a massive boost when he captained Meerut Mavericks to title win at the UPT20 League earlier this year.
“It was a big opportunity for me to lead Meerut Mavericks in the UPT20 League, and I am happy that I could deliver,” Rinku was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo on Friday. “I really enjoyed captaincy as it allowed me to learn many things.”
Rinku, who has been part of KKR squad since 2018, was among the five players the franchise chose to retain ahead of the IPL auction held last month in Jeddah (Saudi Arabia). However, the 27-year-old isn’t worried about whether he gets to lead KKR next season.
“I am not thinking too 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 regain the trophy we had won for the first time in 2015-16,” he said.
Rinku made his India debut last year in August and has since played in two ODIs and 30 T20Is. With the Champions Trophy due next year, the Vijay Hazare Trophy provides him an opportunity to put a strong claim.
In List A cricket, Rinku has 1899 runs from 57 matches at an average of 48.69. He has one century and 17 fifties to his name.
However, Rinku is not losing sleep over whether he will make the cut in India squad for the marquee tournament slated to be held in February-March in 2025.
“I believe in God. I didn’t even think of being part of team India when I struck five consecutive sixes in the IPL last year,” Rinku said. “That 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 get that surely. But at the same time, I also need to work hard on my job.”