Afghanistan opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz predicted that Rinku Singh would become a skilled finisher for Team India in white-ball cricket. Rahmanullah Gurbaz stated that Rinku Singh can adapt quickly to the conditions and described him as an intelligent cricketer.
Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Rinku Singh represented Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL 2023. Rinku had an outstanding performance by scoring 474 runs in 14 matches. After an impressive season, Rinku received his first call-up to the national team.
Rinku Singh is hungry and always works hard – Rahmanullah Gurbaz
In a conversation with Sports Tak, Rahmanullah Gurbaz stated that Rinku Singh could continue the legacy of cricket legends like MS Dhoni and Yuvraj Singh as a finisher. Gurbaz emphasized that Rinku is a valuable asset for the Indian team.
“Of course he can. The way it’s going now is incredible. If you see his recent performances in the Indian team, against all the teams he performs very well. He shows that he is young and showed that ‘I am here for something and not just to be on the team and go out’. He is hungry and always works hard, and that is a good thing about him,” Gurbaz stated.
“He is certainly a very good cricketer and a very good finisher. The most important thing about him is that every time he comes to bat he tries to look at the ball. A hitter always looks to hit. He is a smart cricketer. He is the one who will be able to adapt to the conditions very soon. He can be India’s next finalist and he will also be a good cricketer for his team,” he added.
Rinku Singh displayed impressive finishing skills in international cricket. He scored an unbeaten 69 runs off 39 deliveries during the third T20I against Afghanistan. He added a 190-run partnership with Rohit Sharma after India faced early setbacks at 22/4.
The 26-year-old batsman showed remarkable consistency during his brief T20I career, scoring 356 runs in 11 innings, at an impressive average of 89 and a stellar strike rate of 176.23. The left-handed batsman has smashed two half-centuries so far in the format.
Rinku Singh is the salt of our team – Rahmanullah Gurbaz
A recent viral video on social media captured a funny moment between Gurbaz and Rinku, where the Indian batsman was sleeping peacefully on a flight. The Afghanistan batsman humorously touched Rinku’s nose, causing him to wake up with a smile in response.
Reflecting on the camaraderie shared with Rinku Singh as KKR teammates, Rahmanullah Gurbaz said their strong friendship extends beyond the IPL. Gurbaz described him as someone who brings joy to everyone.
“Rinku is the salt of our team. He is the kind of person who makes everyone happy. He’s a really funny guy, a great guy. I really love him. We have a great friendship. We also keep in touch outside the IPL,” Gurbaz said.
Gurbaz played in 35 ODIs and 49 T20Is for Afghanistan, scoring 1,238 and 1,271 runs respectively. In the recently concluded T20I series against India, he scored 87 runs in three innings at a decent average of 29 and a strike rate of 126.09.
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