Hyderabad: Team India led by ace pacer Jasprit Bumrah will take on minnows Ireland in a three-match T20 series, beginning later tonight at the 'The Village' ground in Dublin. The match will commence at 7.30 pm IST. For the tour, the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee had reposed their faith in youngsters like all-rounder Rinku Singh, wicketkeeper-batter Jitesh Sharma, swashbuckling left-handed batter Tilak Verma, all-rounder Shivam Dubey, who have made a mark in the cash-rich Indian Premier League.
Ahead of the first game, Rinku, who has played 31 IPL games, got emotional about traveling in business class for the first time. Rinku, who hails from a very humble background, shared his experiences with Jitesh Sharma, who represents Vidarbha in the domestic circuit. The two have also played in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, the domestic T20 tournament, for their respective sides.
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"Every player dreams of representing the Indian team. While practicing with my friends in Noida, I came to know that I was selected for the team. Immediately, I called up my mother and told her about my selection. The role of our family in reaching this stage in cricket is very important. After being selected for the team, after seeing the jersey with my name and number on it, tears rolled down my eyes," an emotional Rinku, who played for Kolkata Knight Riders, told Jitesh in a video posted by BCCI on X site.
Rinku, who has 725 IPL runs to his credit, said that he worked hard for this.
"Jitesh Sharma and I stepped into the Syed Mushtaq Trophy less than 10 years ago. Now I am happy to be selected for the national team as well. Similarly, he will help me with English during this trip to Ireland (laughs). We both traveled in business class for the first time. It seemed a bit difficult to know about the facilities. If given a chance in the final team, I will give 100% for the victory of the team. I spoke to everyone in the team. They told me to play without any pressure," added Rinku Singh, known for his six-hitting prowess.
Twenty-five-year-old Rinku, who also occasionally bowls off-break, has 3,007 runs from 42 first-class matches. If he makes it to the national team, it will be another rags-to-riches story in the history of Indian cricket. Rinku also has played 89 domestic T20 games, scoring 1,768 runs.
He came to limelight after hitting five sixes in an over for his IPL side Kolkata Knight Riders against Gujarat Titans in Ahmedabad and had taken his side over the line in a league game of IPL 2023. Rinku was praised by then Kolkata Knight Riders coach and former New Zealand cricketer Brendon McCullum, known for his aggressive style of play.
