The IPL Sunday Roast #3

By Rahul Patil

Sport is probably one of the few things in this world that provides a level playing field for talented individuals to express themselves and showcase their skills. A place where you are judged solely on the basis of your performance. A place where it doesn’t matter what religion you belong to, what your caste is, what your economic situation is like or what the color of your skin is. If you are good enough, then you will be accepted. Acceptance is a simple but powerful emotion. We all want to be accepted by others. Being accepted in a country of 1.4 billion can be life changing.

If you have played cricket at any level, you will know that scoring 29 runs in the last over to win a game is no easy feat. Doing it in an IPL game with the world watching is next to impossible. When Rinku Singh took strike on the 2^nd delivery of the 20^th over his team KKR needed 28 to win. Remaining cool as a cucumber Rinku went 6, 6, 6, 6 and 6 to take his side home. We have seen 6 sixes hit in an over before. Sobers, Shastri, Gibbs, Yuvraj. Even our very own Leo Carter. But hitting 5 off the last 5 balls of the match to win a game is just mind blowing. Rinku’s life story is equally spine tingling.

Born in Aligarh (Uttar Pradesh) Rinku is the 3^rd amongst 5 siblings. His dad delivered cooking gas cylinders for a living and the family of seven lived in a two room unit. Needless to say life was extremely tough. With a bat in his hand and a smile on his face Rinku learnt to drive, cut, pull, hook and sweep away at all of life’s problems. Rejected at many age group selection trials Rinku kept working hard on his game during the day while sweeping and mopping floors at night. He has been a part of the IPL since 2017 but a man of the match performance last season secured his place in the playing XI at KKR. The heroics of last Sunday will no doubt ensure a long career.

Rinku’s teammates and management at KKR are not surprised by his success and keep talking about his work ethic. He’s normally the first to turn up for practice and the last to leave. He loves fielding drills as much as he likes batting and bowling. When he wasn’t playing regularly he would find ways to be useful to the team. Giving other batters throw downs, putting an arm around someone who is going through a rough patch, being the clown in the dressing room while patiently waiting for his own opportunity. The universe was watching though. Good things tend to happen to good people.

When asked about how he always managed to keep smiling through difficult times the 25-year-old teaches all of us a life lesson by saying “Yes there were difficulties, but I was also doing something that I really love which is playing cricket. I am blessed and lucky to be able to play. There are others who have a lot less than what I have.” It’s a brilliant way to look at life. Be grateful for what you have and try and make the most of it.

A quick word on the bowler who was on the receiving end of Rinku’s onslaught. Yash Dayal is Rinku’s teammate in domestic cricket. It’s never easy to come back after failing to defend 29 in the last over but he’s got a number of wise head’s around him at the Gujarat Titan’s. The sun will rise again tomorrow and so will Yash Dayal.

Last week I wrote about how a 41-year-old Dhoni is still delivering at the highest level. This week in a game against the Rajasthan Royals he came in to bat when CSK needed 63 to win in 5 overs and almost managed to take his side home. In the end CSK lost by 3 runs but the legend of Dhoni grew bigger. His stats for IPL 2023 now read 58 runs in 27 balls with 6 sixes and 2 fours @ a strike rate of 215. The effect he has on fans wherever he plays is a sight to behold. No matter what the target is, while Dhoni is at the crease the fans genuinely believe. No matter how old a lion is, he never forgets to hunt.

We have recently seen the exploits of Harry Brook in New Zealand. It’s taken him a bit of time to get going in his first IPL but the NZ $2.6 million buy made a huge return on investment for the Sunrisers Hyderabad scoring a hundred and taking his team to a mammoth 228 against KKR. I know I have said it before but there is something about Harry that screams ‘superstar in the making’.

The blackcaps are in Pakistan again to play five T20’s followed by five ODI’s. They were there in January this year too. The logic of a five match T20 series in an ODI world cup year is questionable. Never the less it’s a great opportunity for some of the fringe players to stake a claim for a place in the ODI world cup team. With most of their first XI involved in the IPL the blackcaps are currently trailing 2-0 in the T20 series. Matt Henry’s hat-trick and a good innings in a losing cause by Mark Chapman being the only highlights for New Zealand until now.

We are a third of the way through this year’s IPL and once again it is providing nail biting last ball finishes every other day. A chest thumping Virat Kohli is scoring big runs once again and Rohit Sharma is slowly finding his groove. Life is almost perfect. India is a happy country when Virat and Rohit score runs. We just need an ICC trophy now.

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