He knows when to pull the trigger: Ruturaj Gaikwad lauds Rinku

DUBLIN: India batter Ruturaj Gaikwad lavished praise on Rinku Singh for his outstanding performance in the second T20I against Ireland and stated that the left-hander has a keen sense of when to take an aggressive approach while fulfilling the role of a finisher.

After Gaikwad's (58 off 43 balls) crucial 71-run partnership with Sanju Samson, who made a quick-fire 26-ball 40, Rinku’s cameo added the much-needed spark to India’s innings, as the visitors secured a 33-run win secure a 33-run win over Ireland, taking an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series.

Rinku hammered 38 runs from 21 deliveries, propelling India to a score of 185 for 5, a total Ireland fell short by 33 runs. This impressive performance enabled the 26-year-old to secure his first player of the match award in just his second international appearance.

Speaking at the post-match presentation, India's vice-captain pointed out what youngsters can learn from watching Rinku play.

"Rinku is already everyone’s favourite in the IPL. The way he has batted in the IPL, he has shown a lot of maturity. I think one of the standout things about him is that he doesn’t attack from ball one. He gives himself time, no matter what the situation is. He always assesses the condition and then starts to take on the bowlers," Gaikwad said.

"It is good learning from all the upcoming players who want to be a finisher. It is always important that you take some time, and you can always cover it up later. He knows when to pull the trigger. It was an important innings for him; he was batting for the first time in international cricket. I feel this will help him a lot," he added.

Earlier in the year, during the IPL 2023 season, Rinku had already established his reputation as a formidable player. Playing for the Kolkata Knight Riders, he accumulated an impressive tally of 474 runs across 14 matches, maintaining an average of 59.25 and a strike rate of 149.53.