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Rinku Singh has emerged as the new superstar of Indian cricket!
Rinku continued his impressive start with another match-winning effort against Afghanistan in Benglauru on Wednesday.
Along with Captain Rohit Sharma, Rinku rallied India after a few early wickets to power them to a huge 212/4 in their 20 overs before the hosts eventually edged home after two thrilling Super Overs against Afghanistan.
Ever since his magical feat of five sixes in a row in the last over to take the Kolkata Knight Riders to an unbelievable victory against the Gujarat Titans in IPL 2023, there has no been looking back for the young left-hander.
A couple of months later, he made his T20 International debut for India against Ireland in August. He didn't get to bat in his debut as the match was shortened because of rain, but in the second game in Dublin he smashed 38 from 21 balls.
He was part of India's gold medal winning team in the Asia Cup in Hangzhou before he was picked for the three-match series against Australia.
The 26 year old kept his cool in a pressure situation as he guided India home in a close finish -- hitting 22 from 14 balls, finishing off the hmatch in grand style with a six off pacer Sean Abbott off the penultimate delivery.
In the next game he again took the Aussie bowlers to task, smashing 31 from nine balls to power India to a huge 235/4 in their 20 overs before top-scoring with another cameo of 46 from 29 balls in Raipur to help India clinch the five-match series 3-1.
Rinku's aura continued to grow. He registered his first fifty at the international level when he hammered 68 not out from 39 balls in a T20 International against South Africa in December.
On Wednesday, it was turn of the Afghanistan bowlers to suffer the same fate. Walking into bat at 22/4 in the fifth over showed great maturity to bail India out of trouble with his unbroken 190-run stand with Rohit, who hit 121 from 69 balls.
Rinku's T20 International stats are mind-boggling!
For someone who bats mostly in the last few overs, Rinku boasts of an incredible record of 356 runs in 15 matches at an average of 89, with a strike rate of 176.
Overall in T20 cricket, he has 2380 runs in 111 games at a strike rate of 148.
No wonder captain Rohit has been left mighty impressed with Rinku.
'The last couple of series that he played, he showed what he can do with the bat. Very calm and knows his strength pretty well,' said Rohit. 'He is coming off age and doing what is expected of him and he has done really well for India.'