: The cash-rich Indian Premier League is where dreams are made. Over the years, there are umpteen examples of how an IPL contract changed the fortunes of not just a player, but his entire family

Yesterday, the world witnessed one more ‘rags to riches’ story unfolding. It happened at the Wankhede stadium and the player was Rinku Singh. The Aligarh-born has been waiting for his chance for the past five years and now that he has got it, he is making the most of it and giving a glimpse of what he can do.

Rinku, who was lapped up by KKR for Rs 80 lakh, has had to fight odds all his life and hence it was no surprise that he excelled when put under pressure like he has been all his life. While speaking to the Indian Express, Rinku was quoted saying that he almost became a sweeper to support his family.

“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 morther, ‘I will not go again. Let me just try my luck in cricket,” he told The Indian Express.

Kolkata Knight Riders head coach Brendon McCullum on Monday alluded to his remarkable journey from the town of Aligarh, known more for its locks than cricketers, to becoming an IPL player and winning his maiden ‘Player of the Match’ award.

“He’s an amazing story. He’s been around the franchise now for a long period of time. Before the first game that he played, I was lucky enough to spend a little bit of time with him. He knew for his own self-worth and his own career that he needed to make a statement in this competition. He was able to do it in the first game.

“He’s such a great team man, a wonderful human being and the real vibe and culture of the group is set by Rinku. Some players just deserve to have things go their way and Rinku is one of them,” said McCullum after Rinku guided the team to victory against Rajasthan Royals.

In IPL 2022, Rinku has so far scores of 35 (28 balls) against Gujarat Titans, 23 (16) against Delhi Capitals and 42 not out (23 balls) against Rajasthan Royals on Monday.

The left-handed batter and right-arm off-break bowler, Rinku, who comes from a lower middle-class family as his father works for a domestic gas agency delivering gas cylinders, has played age-group cricket for Uttar Pradesh and had to save money from his daily allowances to help his father pay off a loan of Rs five lakh.

Tags :IPL 2022Rinku SinghKolkata Knight Riders