“Bhaiya Keh Rahe The…”: Rinku Singh Reveals Nitish Rana’s Message Before Match-Winning Partnership vs CSK at Chepauk

With their camaraderie and cordial bond already among discussions in fan groups, Kolkata Knight Riders captain Nitish Rana (57*) and batter Rinku Singh (54) ensured that their batting partnership also becomes a topic of discussion among fans.

Having registered sensible individual half-centuries, the two left-handed batters joined hands for a match-winning 99-run partnership for the fourth wicket to power KKR to a 145-run chase against Chennai Super Kings tonight.

Even though the visiting team wasn’t chasing a formidable target, Rana and Singh were required to spend time in the middle to counter CSK’s potent spinners on a turning track at the MA Chidambaram Stadium. Assisted by dew on a Sunday night, Rana and Singh hardly faltered during the course of their innings.

Reduced to 33/3 inside the powerplay by Super Kings pacer Deepak Chahar (3/27), Singh not only received a suggestion from his skipper but also followed it to a tee as Knight Riders managed to secure their first victory at this iconic venue after 11 years.

“Wickets thoda jaldi gir gaye the. Jab main batting karne gaya toh bhaiya keh rahe the ki thoda tough wicket hai, thoda khelna padega is wicket pe. Jo loose ball milega, usko charge karenge [We had lost early wickets. When I walked in to bat, Nitish told me that we will have to get set on a tough wicket and can only attack loose balls.],” Singh told host broadcaster Star Sport Network during the post-match presentation ceremony.

Rinku Singh and Nitish Rana are KKR’s Best IPL 2023 Batters

Eighth and ninth-highest run-scorers in the ongoing Indian Premier League 2023 respectively, Singh and Rana have been the best batters for Kolkata this season. Differentiated by a solitary run, both of them have scored three half-centuries in the season at almost the same strike rate.

In what is his first instance of scoring more than 200 runs in an IPL season, Singh has current amassed 407 runs across 13 innings at an average and strike rate of 50.88 and 143.30 respectively in a breakout season on a personal level.

Rana, meanwhile, has also surpassed the 400-run mark for the first time after scoring in excess of 300 runs in the last six IPL seasons. Rana’s 406 runs have come at 33.75 and 143.10 in the 16th season of the biggest T20 league around the world.