CHENNAI: Kolkata Knight Riders assistant coach Abhishek Nayar heaped praise on Rinku Singh for his sublime off 43 deliveries in the side chasing 145 against Chennai Super Kings, saying the left-handed batter is an ideal package to have in any side irrespective of the format.
In the chase, Kolkata had lost three wickets in power-play when Rinku joined forces with captain Nitish Rana to add 99 runs for the fourth wicket, thwarting the challenge from Chennai's spinners and smashing half-centuries to help Kolkata get over the line comfortably with six wickets in hand and nine balls to spare.
"He is a very grounded and hardworking person, and I think it's just the beginning and the tip of the iceberg in terms of what he is gonna achieve going forward because he is a level-headed, hardworking who wants to evolve as a cricketer and he is the ideal package to have in any format for any team," said Nayar in the post-match press conference.
Sunday's match added another illustration to Rinku being exceptional in run-chases for Kolkata in IPL 2023, with his numbers being 238 runs in six innings at average of 119, including three half-centuries.
Nayar also credited Rinku's performances in domestic cricket behind his stellar performances in IPL 2023. "Rinku Singh has always been a great player of spin. If you look back at his first-class season, Rinku Singh is one name that will come across as one of those three-four people who have been successful over the past two-three seasons."
"He has always been someone who has done that for UP in domestic cricket in different situations. He knows how to play in these conditions, and domestic cricket gives you one of the most challenging pitches. He has been through the grind, and I am so happy to see him achieve success like that."
Kolkata will now face Lucknow Super Giants in an evening match on May 20 at the Eden Gardens.