March 23, 2025: Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) captain Ajinkya Rahane has hinted at the possibility of promoting Rinku Singh higher in the batting order in upcoming matches. This comes after a somewhat subdued performance from Rinku in KKR’s IPL 2025 opener against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), where he managed only 12 runs off 10 balls, coming in lower down the order.
Speaking at the post-match press conference following their seven-wicket loss to RCB, Rahane acknowledged Rinku’s consistent performances, not only for KKR but also for the Indian team in the T20 format. Rahane said, “Yes, I mean, Rinku has been batting really well—both for KKR and also for the Indian team, especially in this shorter format. He has been doing really well.”
Regarding the decision to send Rinku up the order, Rahane revealed that it had been discussed. However, match situations often dictate the batting order. “The talks about promoting him up the order are happening, but sometimes you have to play according to the situation and decide who is better suited at that moment,” Rahane explained.
Rahane further explained the reason behind the change in their approach during the match. “We thought Angkrish [Raghuvanshi] was the better option because we had around 10 to 11 overs left when he went in. The plan was to send Rinku, but after both Venkatesh Iyer and I got out in quick succession, we had to adjust,” he added.
Despite the setback in the opener, Rahane reassured fans that Rinku Singh will be given more opportunities to bat higher up the order in future matches. “As I mentioned, Rinku has been batting really well, and you will see him bat higher up the order,” Rahane concluded. Fans of KKR can expect to see more of Rinku’s explosive batting as the season progresses.