"My first interaction with Rinku Singh didn’t go well, but now he means a lot to me" - Nitish Rana opens up about his relationship with KKR teammate 

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) batter Nitish Rana has claimed that he got off on the wrong foot with teammate Rinku Singh upon their first interaction. The left-handed duo have shared the dressing room since the 2018 season and are now on good terms.

Rinku Singh was not in the scheme of things during his first couple of seasons with the two-time winners. The Uttar Pradesh-born batter was largely used as a backup player and managed to make an impression through his fielding in the limited chances he got. He came into the spotlight in the 2022 edition, where he played a string of matches.

Nitish Rana, on the other hand, was bought by the franchise for a sum of ₹3.4 crore with high expectations. The Delhi-born batter has been used in several batting positions over the years and even managed to make his debut for India in the time frame.

Explaining how his friendship with Rinku Singh has evolved over the years, Rana said in an audio chatroom session of ‘CricChat Powered by Parimatch’ on the Sharechat app:

“Kolkata Knight Riders has a huge role to play in my cricketing life as well as personal life. My first interaction with Rinku didn’t go well, but now he means a lot to me. When we were supposed to play the last match for KKR in the last season, Rinku and I sat for a discussion the previous night and decided to give everything in that match (against Lucknow Super Giants)."

The pair put up a spirited performance in their final IPL 2022 league encounter against the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) at the DY Patil Stadium. Rana scored 44 off 21 deliveries, with the side once reeling at 9-2 in the third over while chasing a mammoth 209-run target.

Rinku Singh singlehandedly kept KKR's playoff hopes alive with a belligerent 40-run knock, off just 15 deliveries. He was unable to finish things off following a stunning catch by Evin Lewis, leaving the side short by two runs to exit the tournament.

"I am what I am, and it is all because of him" - Nitish Rana on his father's influence

Nitish Rana rose to prominence after a successful debut Ranji Trophy campaign in 2015-16, where he scored 557 runs. He proved to be a vital asset for his IPL franchises Mumbai Indians (MI) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) after notching six successive seasons with over a 300-run tally.

Crediting his father for the success he has attained so far, Rana said:

“My dad has always backed me up. I am what I am, and it is all because of him. When people questioned my dad on his decision to help me become a cricketer and taunted him saying I won’t be able to earn off this field, he used to tell them that I won’t let my son starve."

Will the left-handed batter be considered for the national team any time soon? Let us know what you think.