Rinku Singh’s IPL journey is a testament to perseverance. Picked up by Punjab Kings in the 2017 auction, he didn’t get a game, with his TATA IPL career only taking shape when Kolkata Knight Riders handed him a debut in 2018. For a while, Rinku remained on the fringes, playing 17 matches between 2018 and 2022 without a defining breakthrough. That moment arrived in 2023 in an unforgettable fashion. Chasing 205 against Gujarat Titans, Rinku produced one of the most dramatic finishes in IPL history, smashing five consecutive sixes in the final over when KKR needed 28 off the last five balls. Batting at No. 5 and 6 that season, Rinku emerged as KKR’s leading run-scorer, amassing 474 runs at an average of 59.25 and a strike rate of 149.52 — remarkable numbers for a finisher. He earned an India call-up later that year, making his ODI and T20I debuts. Retained by KKR ahead of 2025 Mega Auction and appointed vice-captain for IPL 2026, Rinku remains central to KKR’s plans in the absence of Andre Russell in the middle-order.