Rinku Singh will travel to the T20 World Cup as a reserve player.
The southpaw was overlooked by selectors despite his exceptional record for India in the shortest format of the game.
In 15 T20Is and 11 innings so far, Rinku has amassed 356 runs at an average of 89 and a strike rate of 176.24 while batting in the middle-order. He also has two half-centuries to his name.
However, this setback has not broken his confidence as Rinku Singh remains determined to achieve his goals. The 26-year-old also expressed his ambition to win a major trophy for the Indian team.
"Since I have played cricket, I have won some trophies at junior level. But not at the senior level. I am going to the World Cup. I want to hold the WC trophy, I hope we win. My dream is to win a big trophy for my country and lift it in my hands," said Rinku, who will travel to the T20 World Cup as a reserve player, in a video on the IPL website.
"Time kharab uska hota hai jiske haath pair nahi hote, hamare toh hain. Hamara time kharab nahi hai (Time is bad for someone who does not have his limbs, I have them. I am not going through a bad time)," he added.
They young left-hander fondly recalled his five successive sixes against Yash Dayal in an IPL match last year. He explained how this feat changed his life upside down.
"I used to be wondering all the time if I would get to play further. I used to tell myself that I would do well in the next game and I should keep working hard. I kept working hard. After those five sixes, my life changed. I started getting ads. People started to recognise me. Now I cannot go out alone. It feels good when hoardings of my name are there, when people scream my name. I feel that I have done something in my life."
As a finisher in the middle order, Rinku Singh highlighted the importance of remaining calm and reacting to the ball.
"I have been playing at this number for long (in the middle order at number five or six), I know what to do. The more you keep yourself calm, the more you just react to the ball, it will be easier,” he remarked.
(With ANI Inputs)