Star India batter Rinku Singh has shared that former India batter Suresh Raina is his idol and inspiration. He also shared that he tries to copy and follow Raina and seeks advice from the veteran as well. Meanwhile, the star batter grabs eyeballs following his exploits as a finisher for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 season.

However, he smashed 474 runs in 14 matches which came at an average of 59.25 and a strike rate of 149.53, with four fifties. Following his stunning performances in IPL 2023, he was drafted into the Indian T20I squad. In an interview with timesofindia.com, Rinku shared the huge role that Raina has played in his success as well.

“I am a huge fan of Suresh Raina bhaiya. I follow him and try to copy him. He has played a big role in my life and career,” Rinku said. “He helped me with the bat, pads and everything I needed while playing cricket. He has sent almost everything without asking or saying anything. Whenever I am in doubt, I call Raina bhaiya. He is more than a big brother to me. He has taught me how to handle pressure. He says time le, 4-5 ball le, settle ho, fir apne haath khol (Take 4-5 balls to settle down and then shift to top gear). Those tips and learnings helped me a lot during IPL and now for India too.”

The veteran left-handed batter played a key role in India’s win in the first T20I against Australia, smashing 22* off 14 as India chased down 209. However, in a league match against Gujarat Titans (GT) during IPL 2023, Rinku hit five consecutive sixes off Yash Dayal to become a cricketing sensation as well.

“It took a while to sink in. Yes, those five sixes changed my life. That match and those five sixes have played a big role in my career. It is not easy to hit five sixes in an over. It is very rare. It was special because my team was chasing and I was the last hope for a win,” Rinku Singh concluded.