The former India and CSK batter, Suresh Raina urged the three-time IPL champions to invest in Rinku and give him a proper run as captain, arguing that the franchise may have already found its next leader.
Raina's endorsement comes after Rinku Singh led Meerut Mavericks to the UPT20 League title. Meerut defeated Lucknow Falcons by 94 runs in the final
Rinku already has experience of being part of KKR's leadership group. He served as the franchise's vice-captain in the previous season.
Former Indian and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) batter wants Rinku Singh to take the reins of Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) as captain. He urged the three-time champion franchise not to waste any more time and appoint the left-handed batter as captain.
Raina's comment comes after Rinku guided his team, Meerut Mavericks, to a title in the fourth season of the UPT20 league. Meerut Mavericks beat Lucknow Falcons by 94 runs, led by Bhuvneshwar Kumar, on Sunday at the Ekana Stadium to lift the trophy.
Rahane's Retirement Provides An Opening
Rinku has gone out of favour in the recent national selection, as he was not picked for the series against Afghanistan. Speaking to a broadcaster, Raina said that KKR should look to invest in Rinku and give him some matches as the captain. Rinku was the franchise's vice-captain in the previous season as Ajinkya captained KKR.
However, Mumbai-based Rahane has recently retired from international cricket and the IPL. Thus, this opens a vacancy in the team. Some previous reports claimed that the Shah Rukh Khan's owned franchise was looking at Hardik Pandya as a potential candidate, but the rumoured transfer has not materialised much.
"Firstly, congratulations to Captain Rinku Singh. This is the fourth season of the UP T20 League, and they are playing in the fourth final," Raina said on the sidelines of the UPT20 League final.
“KKR is looking for a captain, but I think the franchise has finally gotten its captain. Invest a little in him, give him some matches, and you never know,” he added.
A Good Season With Bat
Rinku has had a good season with his batting too. He finished the season with 241 runs in nine innings with an average of 40.17 and a strike rate of 169.72. He was Meerut's second-highest run-scorer this season and 9th on the overall list. With 18 maximums, he had the third most sixes in the tournament.
