Five balls and at the top of the world: Rinku Singh rises to the occasion

No better 'Rags to Riches' story than Rinku Singh in the IPL

The Indian Premier League (IPL) has seen many 'rags to riches' story, but may be none better than Rinku Singh, who has now become a household name. Not many expected it to grow into one when the southpaw had created his own fan club and got trolled mercilessly for the same. But those five balls has now turned his life upside down, garnering millions of fans worldwide.

The game appeared lost a few overs ago when Rashid Khan struck thrice in successive deliveries to pin down the Knight Riders. Despite the first ball of the final over going over the fence, the commentator declared that it was a lost cause. Rinku Singh, calm and collected, pounced on anything even when it appeared remotely that it would go for a maximum.

Consider this: Rinku Singh’s father Khanchandra delivers LPG cylinders to homes and he has an elder brother, who drives an autorickshaw while another gets by through a coaching centre. His house is a small two-room quarters within the premises of an LPG distribution company’s storage compound near Aligarh stadium. It has garnered all the spotlight following the five towering sixes hit by the left-handed batter to stun the defending champions at the iconic Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

It was during the IPL 2022 auction that the winds of change had blown towards Rinku Singh's life when KKR and Mumbai Indians locked horns for him. The 23-year-old watched the battle unfold on television that day and admitted that the bidding exceeded his expectations. As quoted by the Indian Express:

"Socha tha 20 lakh mein jaoonga, (thought I would get 20 lakhs), but I was picked up for 80! The first thought that came to the mind was that I can contribute in my big brother’s wedding, and save up something for my sister’s wedding too. Aur ek achhe se ghar mein shift ho jaoonga."

Rinku's family had been in heavily in debt, struggling to pay back five lakhs and having failed ninth class, he knew the only shot to becoming something was in cricket. The modest earnings flowing in from plying his trade for the UP U-19 team went in repaying the debts. He also failed to make the cut for the U-19 side in the World Cup despite being awfully close. The youngster believes those years of struggle are finally paying off.

"Father used to earn some Rs 6-7 thousand 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, may be God is repaying for those days."

The breakthrough moment when Rinku's family started believing

Despite achieving those small goals, the left-handed batter didn't have his family backing wholly and the belief came only after the man-of-the-series award in a tournament in Delhi. The motorcycle won that time went for his father's deliverables regarding the LPG cylinders.

Here's what happened when Rinku sought after his brother for a job:

He took me to a place where they asked me to be a domestic worker — saaf, safaai aur pochaa maarna (sweeping and mopping). I came back home and told my mother, ‘I will not go again. Let me just try my luck in cricket."

The luck turned yet again when Mumbai Indians called him for a selection trial and he belted 91 off 31 deliveries and feels that was the springboard that made him the player he has become.

"I think that knock made an impact. My domestic season had gone fine and I was hoping that someone might take me but never thought I will go for such a huge money. Mere khaandan mein itna paisa kisene bhi nahi dekha hai (No one in my clan has seen so much money)."

On one side, there was Yash Dayal, crestfallen and who would have never thought the over would turn out how it did. On the other, Rinku Singh, who believed in himself, was at the top of the world and has etched himself as the greatest success story in this IPL, regardless of what he does in the remaining matches. Dayal will have his moment in the future too. This sport is the perfect levelling field. It is what Rinku's story has taught us.