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Simon Doull believes that Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) batter Rinku Singh has successfully carved a niche for himself as a finisher with his consistent performances in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL 2023).
The former New Zealand cricketer suggested that Rinku cannot be termed a "one-match wonder", considering that he has helped his team cross the line on multiple occasions now.
He also opined that the southpaw showed glimpses of brilliance in the previous season, and has now been able to prove himself on a regular basis. Speaking to Cricbuzz after KKR's five-wicket win over PBKS at Eden Gardens on Monday, Simon Doull remarked:
"He [Rinku Singh] is doing it more often now. I mean you can't just say 'one-game wonder' anymore. He is over 300 runs. He is doing it more often than not. I think that was his fourth not out in a chase situation. So he is understanding.
"We saw him last year in the odd occasion just do something you thought, 'This guy has got a little bit about him'. He is street-smart and is quite hard because of everything he has had to go through in his life."
Kolkata successfully chased down the 180-run target set by Punjab on the last ball of the encounter. With two needed from the final delivery, Rinku Singh hit a crucial boundary off Arshdeep Singh to seal the game for his team.
The left-handed batter remained unbeaten on 21 off 10 balls. He stitched together a stunning 54-run stand with Andre Russell for the fifth wicket, which was instrumental in the team's victory.
"Becoming a very smart finisher" - Simon Doull on Rinku Singh's batting exploits in IPL 2023
Simon Doull further stated that Rinku Singh has proved that he is a very smart finisher. The cricketer-turned-commentator reckoned that the batter looks forward to opportunities where he can win games for his side.
Doull emphasized that making a mark while batting lower down the order is a tough job, but stressed that Rinku has excelled at the role, in spite of not getting to face a lot of balls.
"He [Rinku Singh] really relishes every moment that he gets an opportunity to do what he is doing, but he is actually becoming a very smart finisher," he elaborated. "That is something that is not easy to do because you get few balls. You get less than 15 balls on average when you bat at six or seven in any game.
"He is learning all the time and doing it more often than not. That is the sign of a guy who has obviously grown in confidence, but also he has got the ability and smarts to do it."
Rinku Singh is currently the leading run-getter for KKR in IPL 2023. The 25-year-old has mustered 337 runs from 11 innings at a strike rate of 151.12.
