Rinku Singh: ‘My target is to play all three formats for India’

Rinku Singh has never been short of ambition. The sixes may have made him a household name, but the India batter is now chasing something bigger. He wants to become that cricketer who can do far more than finish an innings.

As he officially joins EMW Global as its first cricket signing, Rinku talks to Sportstar about reshaping his game, handling the uncertainty of India selection and why playing Test cricket is now his biggest ambition.

Your ability to generate power without appearing to over-swing is one of your biggest strengths. What exactly do you work on technically to generate that power?

It was there to some extent from the beginning, but I also focus a lot on training. I spend a lot of time in the gym, which gives me strength, and your diet is also very important.

We do exercises for power in the gym and work on power-hitting during practice as well. My batting usually comes towards the end because I bat at No. 5 or 6, so I have to practise accordingly.

I try to create match situations in practice. For example, if you are playing the last two overs of a match, where can you hit the ball? How can you generate power in your shots? How far can you hit it? We prepare for those situations, whether in the gym or during practice.

In the gym, you work on exercises for power, while in batting, it is about the power of your bat swing – how quickly you can bring the bat down and how early you can get ready. That is very important, especially against a fast bowler. You have to be ready early. And wherever the ball is, you have to commit fully to the shot.

ALSO READ | Cricket at Asian Games 2026: India begins road to LA28 by aiming to strike gold again

When you face a fast bowler in the death overs, what are the cues you look for to pick a yorker, slower ball or bouncer as early as possible?

Mentally, it is very important to remain relaxed at that time. In the last two overs, batters often make the mistake of thinking too much. At times, the thought creeps in that, “There are only a few balls left…” and by doing that, they don’t watch the ball properly. They decide beforehand that they are going to play a particular shot.

It is very important in the last few overs to watch the ball and then play the shot. If you don’t watch the ball and have already decided that you have to hit it in a particular area, the ball may come somewhere else and there are more chances of making a mistake.

My mindset is that whatever ball comes, I will play the shot accordingly. That is when you get success in the last few overs. If you decide beforehand that you have to hit the ball in a particular area, you won’t be successful.

You also have to read the bowler, in terms of what ball he might bowl, whether he might bowl a slower ball and how he bowled the previous delivery. You have to keep those things in your mind and plan accordingly.

As a finisher, there is also a mind game with the bowler. Compared to five or 10 years ago, how much have you worked on your mindset and maturity, particularly in handling the expectations and pressure that come with the role?

I have been given the tag of a finisher, but my mindset is that I can bat at any number. If I go back five years, I used to play completely fearlessly. I still play fearlessly, but now I have to think a little more because I am playing at a higher level.

At the higher level, the bowlers are better. They also work on us closely. They come prepared, knowing where we can play our shots and where our weaknesses are. So we also have to do some work and study the bowlers.

When you look at a bowler and think about how you can target him, you have to sharpen your mind a little. This is especially important in the death overs because you cannot predict exactly what is going to happen.

As I said, it is important to play the ball according to what comes. If you decide beforehand what you are going to do, it may not work. So you have to be mentally prepared for every possibility. You have to remain mentally ready in the last few overs.

ALSO READ | Preparation done, Goud wants India U-19 to deliver against Australia

About eight years ago, the IPL brought you into the spotlight. Since then, what specific aspects of your game have you worked on that you feel have made the biggest difference?

I have worked a lot on my pull shot because earlier I wasn’t very good at playing it. I have worked on it through practice. I have been working with Abhishek Nayar Sir since 2018, and he has helped me a lot with different shots.

When the ball is turning, that is also very important. You have to work on that part of your game. Reverse-sweeps and sweeps are important because sometimes the ball is turning a lot and you have to find a way to deal with it.

I have worked more on my pull shot because, as you see in the IPL, two bouncers are allowed in an over and there are fast bowlers who bowl at 145 or 150 kmph. So I have worked a lot on my pull shot.

For any player, representing India and winning trophies is the ultimate goal. But when you are in and out of the team, it can be difficult mentally. How are you handling this phase?

Right now, I am working on my bowling because that is what the game demands. At the moment, I keep getting in and out of the team, and that happens because of combinations.

Some selectors and coaches feel that in T20 cricket you need to have two skills – you should be able to contribute with both bowling and batting. So I am working on my bowling.

It is not as if I haven’t bowled before. I have bowled and taken wickets at the international level as well. But I want to work more on my bowling so that the selectors can see that improvement.

Being in and out of the team can be difficult. It puts some pressure on you and can disturb you mentally. But it is very important to remain positive.

Your job is to work hard. It is not your job to worry about whether you have been selected or not. Your job is to keep working hard. Sooner or later, you will get the result.

Whatever I have received so far is because of the blessings of God. Cricket is a game of patience. If you remain patient, keep working and don’t give up, things become easier.

Just don’t stop working during that period. Whether you are selected or not, you should keep working hard.

ALSO READ | If I was affected by the noise, I wouldn’t play how I do: Samson

You have come a long way through a lot of struggle, from dreaming of playing for India to becoming an established international player. Now, with so many young players competing for places, how do you view that competition as a senior player?

I think it is another opportunity to keep developing yourself. Competition has certainly increased because leagues like the IPL are producing talent every year.

You see players like Vaibhav (Sooryavanshi) and Priyansh (Arya). There is a lot of talent coming through now. As I said, you need to have two skills in the game.

When a young talent comes through, you feel happy if he is doing well and eventually plays for India. You feel happy for him. But it is not as if we have to change our own game because someone else has come along.

I will continue doing what I have been doing. Everything has been given by God. I just want to keep scoring runs. Runs are very important.

So be happy when a big talent comes through. Think positively about them and about yourself. It will be good for everyone.

A few years ago, you spoke about going back to your village and playing whenever you got an opportunity. Things are different now. How important is it for you to continue working with Abhishek Nayar in the off-season, and how much has the long association with KKR given you confidence?

It definitely gives me confidence. I have been playing with KKR for eight or nine years now. Every year, my aim is to improve as much as I can and win as many matches as possible for my team.

I always think about what I can do for my team. With the ball, I want to take wickets. In the field, I want to save five, six, seven or eight runs. That is always in my mind.

Every year, I want to improve something and do something good for my team.

You are still seen as the big-hitting finisher, but the game and its demands are evolving. Having batted higher up for Uttar Pradesh and lower down in franchise cricket, do you now see yourself as a more complete all-rounder rather than just a six-hitter?

My aim right now is to play Test cricket for India. People have given me the tag of a finisher, but if you look at my domestic cricket, I average around 60 in first-class cricket and around 50 in one-day cricket. So I can play all formats.

It is not as if I can only bat at the end. If you saw me last year, I played 200-300 balls in first-class cricket. So that is also part of my game.

But it is fine. People can say what they want. They also give me that tag with love. They have seen me come in at the end and hit sixes, so that is what they associate with me.

ALSO READ | Former BCCI panel scorers appeal for pension, medical insurance after decades of service

With so much white-ball cricket ahead, what is your personal target?

My target is to play all three formats for India. I want to play for India, remain part of the team and, whenever there is a World Cup, be part of the winning team.

The last World Cup was a big opportunity for me. I didn’t perform as well as I wanted to for India. But going forward, I want to play for India in all three formats, remain with the team and, whenever there is a World Cup, score the winning runs and help my team win. That is my dream right now.

When you go through a poor run of form or feel out of rhythm, how much do you work on the mental side?

As for form, as long as you play cricket, there will be times when you score runs and times when you don’t. That is cricket. You cannot score runs in every match and you cannot take wickets in every match.

So, as long as you are playing cricket, stay relaxed, keep working hard and keep working on your weaknesses.

The more you work, the better it is. And for everyone, I would say: think positively. When a young player is doing well and scoring runs, think positively about him. If you think well of others, it will also be good for you. That is it. Stay mentally free, stay happy and don’t worry too much. Life is very long. God has given us such a beautiful life. Enjoy it.

Published on Sep 17, 2026