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Simon Doll believes that Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) batsman Rinko Singh has carved a niche for himself as an all-rounder with his consistent performances in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL 2023).
The former New Zealand cricketer has suggested that Renko can’t be described as a “one-match prodigy,” considering he’s helped his team cross the line on multiple occasions now.
He also opined that Southpaw had shown glimpses of brilliance the previous season, and was now able to prove himself on a regular basis. Speaking to Cricbuzz after KKR’s five-wicket win over PBKS at Eden Gardens on Monday, Simon Doull said:
“He (Rinku Singh) does it more often now. I mean you can’t just say ‘one great game’ anymore. He’s over 300 home runs. He does that less often. I think that was his fourth not in stalking situation, so he understands.
“We saw him last year on the odd occasion of just doing something you thought, ‘This guy has a little bit of a clue on him.’ He’s street smart and very tough because of everything he’s had to go through in his life.”
Kolkata managed the target of 180 set by Punjab on the last ball of the encounter. With two final deliveries needed, Rinku Singh reached a decisive boundary off Arshdeep Singh to seal the match for his side.
The left-handed batsman remained undefeated in 21 off 10 balls. He put together an amazing stand of 54 runs with Andre Russell for the fifth wicket, which was instrumental in the team’s victory.
‘Becoming a very intelligent finisher’ – Simon Doll on Rinku Singh’s batting exploits at IPL 2023
Simon Doll further mentioned that Rinku Singh proved to be a very intelligent player. The cricketer-turned-commentator thought the batsman was eyeing opportunities where he could win matches for his team.
Doll emphasized that making a mark while batting in the order is a difficult task, but stressed that Renko has excelled in the role, despite not facing too many balls.
“He (Rinku Singh) really enjoys every moment that he gets a chance to do what he’s doing, but he’s actually become a very smart player,” he said. “That’s not an easy thing to do because you get so few balls. You get less than 15 balls on average when you’re batting six or seven balls in any game.
“He’s learning all the time and he does it often. That’s the sign of a guy who’s clearly grown in great confidence, but who also has the ability and the smarts to do it.”
Rinku Singh is currently KKR’s leading rusher in IPL 2023. The 25-year-old has mustered 337 runs from 11 innings at a strike rate of 151.12.
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