‘I know where I have come from, this fame is temporary’: KKR’s Rinku Singh keeps it real

RINKU Singh has been a sensation this year. This IPL season, he became the young star everyone followed closely. From hitting five sixes in five balls to being Kolkata Knight Riders’ spine in the middle overs, the UP batsman has had a great run. In a chat with The Indian Express, Singh talks about his last two months of IPL and how the great actor Rajnikanth invited him to his place.
EXCERPTS:
People say what can you do batting lower-down the order? You must have been in such a situation before…
I play for UP and there too I bat at number five or six. I’m used to that place. At the nets, match simulation is done and in that I have practiced the end number of times.
How much hard work has gone into these performances?
No one has seen my hardwork and everyone has just seen my success. I come from a background where I had nothing in my life. I came from a poor family which had no money. I had no qualifications or studies.
My mother told me to do a sweeper’s job so that I can make some money for my family. The only thing which could have taken me out of this situation was cricket and I was ready to do any amount of hard work for it. Lot of people helped me from time to time and the way KKR stood behind me is the one reason why I’m here today.
Rinku finished with the top run-getter for KKR with 474 runs at an average of 59.25 and 149-plus strike rate. (PTI Photos)
What made you tough?
The whole post-injury period made me tough mentally. I had a knee operation three years ago and I was in my bed for three months. I wasn’t able to keep my legs down for more than two months. Langdaate chalta tha. (I limped). The biggest task for me was going to the bathroom which was on the first floor, I had to take the stairs. Only I know what I went through. It made me tough. There was a thought ke aage kya hoga, seven month gap is a long period. Kahein sab bhool toh nahi jayenge? (Will I be forgotten). I was mentally strong and I knew I would come back.
What clicked for you this season?
I was batting the same, those five sixes changed my life. Few people knew me earlier but now everyone knows me after those five sixes. The crowd chants my name Rinku-Rinku, things suddenly changed overnight. But I know where I come from. These are two minutes of fame, yeh log joh aaj wah-wah kar rahe hai, wohi log kal gaali bhi denge, if I fail. (If I fail the same people will jeer me).
Rinku Singh for KKR. (File)
When did you feel that ‘boss I’ve really done something’?
I got messages from actors Rajpal Yadav, Kartik Aryan, Bhuvan Bam, Anubhav Bassi and then Shahrukh Khan Sir made a video call. But I felt something more when Rajnikanth called. He said when you come to Chennai, meet me. I thought of meeting him but couldn’t in Chennai. While growing up in Aligarh in a small room and a boy who did a sweeper’s job, I never imagined that they would speak to me and invite me to their home. It was the biggest moment.
You managed to be consent even after five sixes?
I wasn’t batting well before those five sixes, I had scored 14 balls-8 runs before that. I was worried from within. I was thinking yaar sab gaali denge ab. In that five sixes game, I didn’t know how much was needed in the last over of the game. I was just hitting and when I saw the last two balls it showed 10 runs more needed. I said boss ab toh match jeet sakte hain. I knew what was coming after that game, so I left that performance in Ahmedabad only. Agar mein aur sochta then I wouldn’t have scored going ahead.
I have seen how post one good innings in the IPL, logon mein hawa baazi aajati hai. I didn’t want others to feel that my innings was a fluke.
Did you meet Yash Dayal after five sixes?
When I met him, I behaved normally. He is a good bowler, it was just my day. Nobody expected that ek domestic player would hit five sixes.
Your teammates say you are a workaholic?
If I rest for a few days, I get the feeling that ab mein jeevan mein peeche ja raha hoon and I need to work hard again. My support staff says that I need to give rest to my body after each game and it is important. In a week, I do gym sessions for three days and three days I will run for an hour on the ground. Batting I will do daily. If there is no game on Sunday then I will rest, otherwise I won’t. Post IPL games I used to go to the hotel and do my gym session while my trainer said I should rest.
You don’t believe in discussing technical stuff?
I don’t actually, if I go in talking about technique in my game than mein phans jaoonga. (I’ll get trapped). I will play my natural game.
You met MS Dhoni recently, what did you speak to him about?
He is one of the greatest finishers of the game. I asked him, bhaiya mein aur kya kar sakta hoon? He said, “I saw your batting from behind. You have kept things simple. Tu bus khada rahe, bowler ko joh karna hai karne de. Bowlers are under more pressure than you.” I like his words. The more we think, the more it will get complicated. It’s very tough to be calm in that situation. I think I managed to hit those five sixes because I was calm. Even in the last game I was calm.

You are planning to build a hostel?
One of my bhaiya Arjun Singh, has a ground. We have decided to open a hostel because those players, who stay away from Aligarh, used to stay at his place. There is no room for selectors also, if any selectors come and watch any game, where will they be hosted. So we decided why not make a room, I gave 20 lakh straight away. It will help kids. What I couldn’t manage in my early days, I wanted to ensure youngsters aren’t deprived of good facilities.
You must be hoping for an India call now?
Aaage naam aata hai tab dekhenge. (We’ll see if I’m picked). I haven’t thought about it. The more I think about it, the more I will get worried. So let god decide my destiny. Nobody thought I would be so big one day, I never thought the stadium would erupt calling my name, but god has been kind to me. I know where I have come from, this fame is temporary.