Veteran commentator Harsha Bhogle has made a gentle request to the fans and media to not compare Rinku Singh with MS Dhoni which could put extra pressure on the youngster.
Rinku Singh has emerged as the fan-favorite finisher this year. After his exploits with KKR in IPL 2023, which included 5 sixes in 5 balls to win a game against Gujarat Titans, Rinku has grabbed his chances in the Indian T20I team.
In his 4 T20I innings so far, the left-hander has scored 128 runs at a brilliant strike rate of 216, getting dismissed only once. He’s clobbered 9 sixes and 12 fours so far for India.
Rinku Singh’s scores in his 4 T20I knocks are 38(21), 37*(15), 22*(14), 31*(9). The last two of them were against good bowling attacks of a second-string Australia unit.
As with any young player in India, Rinku started getting comparisons with MS Dhoni, arguably the greatest finisher in limited-overs cricket history.
Seeing this, Harsha Bhogle posted a tweet, requesting everyone to not compare Rinku with MS Dhoni and let the 26-year-old be himself.
“Been reading a few reports of Rinku Singh finishing like Dhoni. He is a wonderful talent who has worked very hard to reach here. But spare him the connection. Let the young man play his cricket with joy and freedom and revel in being Rinku,” Harsha Bhogle tweeted.
Rinku Singh reveals MS Dhoni’s advice when finishing
After India’s first T20I against Australia in Vizag, in which Rinku Singh stayed till the end to see India over the chase in a last-ball thriller, the southpaw revealed the advice that MS Dhoni once gave him about the finisher’s role.
“I asked Mahi bhai once what he thinks when batting in the last few overs,” Rinku said on the BCCI website after the first T20I. “He said the more you stay calm, the more you try to hit straight, the better it will be. So I follow that now. I try to stay calm, try not to show any reaction, and that has helped me.”
Rinku has made a strong case of being included in India’s squad for next year’s T20 World Cup.
