From debt to IPL riches: KKR sensation Rinku Singh's awe-inspiring story screams 'nothing is impossible'

The Indian Premier League has always managed to keep fans on the edge of their seats with its thrilling last-ball finishes. However, nothing could match the blistering knock produced by Kolkata Knight Riders batter Rinku Singh against Gujarat Titans.

With as many as 28 runs needed from the last five balls, Rinku achieved the impossible by hitting five consecutive sixes. The grit and composure displayed by the 25-year-old batter have left fans awestruck. Rinku's rise in the IPL is equally an awe-inspiring story. There was a phase when Rinku's family had a tough time making ends meet, and today he is one of the most-talked-about cricketers.

The Aligarh-born left-handed batter secured his first IPL contract in 2017 when he was roped in by the Punjab Kings franchise at his base price of Rs10 lakh (Dh44,805).

The deal may have stirred Rinku’s fortunes, but his family was in debt of Rs5 lakh not long ago. With almost no chance of paying back the money three years ago, cricket emerged as Rinku’s ray of hope.

A report published by The Indian Express mentions how Rinku managed to save up the meager daily allowances he received playing for the state U-19 team. All of it, eventually, went into paying back the debts. With his father Khanchandra delivering cooking gas cylinders and an elder brother driving an auto rickshaw, life has never been easy for Rinku.

“Father used to earn some Rs6,000-7,000 monthly, as was the elder brother. My family is a bit big and I had no option other than to focus hard on cricket. Life mein struggle bahut kiya (I struggled a lot in life), may be God is repaying for those days,” Rinku Singh told The Indian Express.

The situation changed a bit when he won a motorcycle after being adjudged as man of the series in a cricket tournament in Delhi. But he handed over the motorcycle to his father to deliver cylinders.

Rinku, the third of five siblings, kept on showcasing his brilliant performance in the Indian domestic circuit. His hard work paid off in 2017 after Punjab Kings signed him. But he had to wait one more year to feature in the IPL. Rinku witnessed his stock rise at the 2018 IPL auction. The Kolkata Knight Riders acquired his services for a staggering Rs80 lakh that year.

The feisty batter made his IPL debut in 2018 season and the 2022 IPL season was the turning point in his career. Rinku capped off the edition with a strike rate of 148.72 in seven games.

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In IPL 2023, Rinku may have played just three matches but THAT has certainly been enough for him to grab the headlines. After pulling off a handy knock of 33-ball 46 against Royal Challengers Bangalore last week, the batter came up with a mind-boggling innings of unbeaten 48 against defending champions Gujarat Titans on Sunday. He decimated Gujarat pacer Yash Dayal by slamming five sixes in the final over of the thrilling encounter.

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