IPL 2025: KKR batter Rinku Singh recalls journey from humble beginnings to India international

Kolkata, April 6 (IANS) Kolkata Knight Riders batter Rinku Singh, who has risen to prominence with his impressive power-hitting skills in the Indian Premier League (IPL) for the franchise, opened up about his cricketing journey while helping prepare authentic Kolkata-style biryani in an episode of Knight Bite.

While assisting with the preparation of the aromatic Kolkata biryani, complete with its signature potato - a must-have ingredient, according to the host and chef Kunal Kapur - Rinku reflected on his early days in cricket.

"I was studying in Modern School, and there was an inter-school tournament. Some people saw my performance and invited me to play because they saw how good I was with the tennis ball," Singh recalled about his first-ever cricket match.

The talented left-hander revealed his impressive start in cricket. "When I went for batting and the match finished, I had scored 54 runs in 32 balls. That's where my cricket journey began."

Discussing his debut international match for India, Rinku admitted to feeling nervous: "When you play for India, and you achieve what you started playing cricket for, you do feel a bit anxious. In my first match, I didn't get to bat, just fielding, and it was raining too, so I was a bit worried. But after a little bit of time, everything became normal."

One of the most touching moments came when Rinku spoke about his tattoo that reads "God's Plan, Beautifully Done" alongside the time "2:20" - the exact moment that changed his life forever. "When I was picked by KKR in 2018 for Rs 80 lakh, that amount was huge for me and my family. We didn't have much money before that. My family's life changed completely. My siblings' marriages became easier, and we even bought a house with that money," shared the emotional batter.

"That's why I got this tattoo with the family written here. It was exactly 2:21 or 2:20 when I was picked, and everything changed from that moment," he added, pointing to the tattoo that symbolises his special connection with the Kolkata franchise.

As the delicious biryani continued cooking with its aromatic spices, Rinku participated in a fun game where he correctly identified famous Bengali sweets, including rasgulla, jalebi, and gulab jamun, showing his familiarity with Kolkata culture.

He was later joined by his teammates Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Moeen Ali, who were impressed by his cooking skills as the three of them shared the meal together.

--IANS

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