Thanks to his stunning exploits in the domestic circuit, including the IPL, Rinku Singh was rewarded a place in India’s squad for the ongoing T20I tour of Ireland.
On Friday (August 18), the southpaw received his maiden India cap in the first T20I against Ireland in Dublin.
Speaking to JioCinema, Rinku stated that a burning desire to give his parents a good life while wading through tough times paved the way for his inclusion into the Indian team.
"A lot of blood and sweat has gone behind to earn this call. My passion for the sport helped me wade through a lack of support and financial hardships," Rinku said before departing for Ireland.
"One thing that kept the desire burning was to give my family a good life, which was possible if I moved up the ladder in the sport. I had that self-belief and that made me stronger and helped me in my journey which has taken a new turn," he added.
Rinku Singh impressed one and all with his performances in IPL 16. In 14 innings, the left-hander amassed 474 runs at a brilliant average and strike rate of 59.25 and 149.52 respectively. More than the impressive numbers, he captured everyone’s imagination by finishing games for KKR from difficult situations.
On his India debut, Rinku didn’t get a chance to bat as India won the rain-curtailed match by two runs (via DLS method) to go 1-0 up in the three-T20I series.
When asked about his family's reaction to the news of his India call-up, Rinku said: "They were very happy. My mother always told me to work as hard as I can to earn the India call and that has happened now, so I am living their dream."
He also opened up on the financial struggles of his family and said he was desperate to get his parents out of poverty.
"I have seen my family face financial struggles and I wanted to help them overcome through cricket. That desire to get them out of the grind kept me going. It kept me motivated to work hard and keep up my efforts.
"My family had a massive role in my journey to date. When they didn't have enough to fund my career, my mother borrowed money from others to keep me going. Where I am today is because of the support I have got from them."
The 25-year-old has also been named in India’s squad for the Hangzhou Asian Games, scheduled from September 23 to October 8.
Speaking about his mental preparation for international cricket, Rinku said, "The efforts are same to be honest, but the pressure is a little more. The intention is to continue to do things the same way I did during the IPL, keep my calm during batting and focus on the role I have in the team."
"I have achieved the first goal I set out to achieve, i.e., to get selected for the Indian team. From here on, I will do everything within my capabilities, give my 100% to achieve the team's desired results and be in the mix for as long as I can."
(With PTI Inputs)
