Rinku Singh described the win as a game decided by intensity without hesitation after he held his nerve to an unbeaten 53, a knock that lifted Kolkata Knight Riders to their first victory of the season against Rajasthan Royals in a high-pressure IPL contest on Sunday. With the chase hanging in the balance, the left-handed batter blended composure with measured aggression, carrying KKR over the line even as emotions ran hot.
Rinku Singh’s winning mindset
Speaking at the post-match presentation, the KKR vice-captain said the moment demanded focus rather than doubt. He explained that pressure can feel intense when things don’t fall your way, but insisted his decision-making behind the bat never wavered.
- “There was intensity, but no hesitation,” Rinku said, adding that he was not hesitating or unsure about playing his shots.
- His guiding mindset, he revealed, was simple: keep the innings going “till the end”.
Rinku also admitted that this substantial contribution had been coming for a while and mattered deeply for his confidence. He said he had played several innings while waiting for a bigger one, and that the knock delivered both value for the team and a personal boost.
- He called the innings “very good” and “very important” for his self-belief.
- He noted that he was searching for a substantial run this season, and the timing of the effort proved crucial.
Adapting anywhere in the batting order
Known for flexibility, Rinku underlined that he is comfortable batting in different spots depending on what the team requires. He stressed there is no fixed role for him, with the ability to bat at number five, move lower down the order, or even take the number four position.
- Rinku said he can bat at five, lower down, or at four.
- He added that wherever KKR needs him, he is ready to do the job.
The victory, KKR’s first of the campaign, could also act as a springboard, with Rinku expecting the side to build momentum from here. He said the result should bring confidence and help the team carry the same energy forward.
- He noted it was KKR’s first win of the season and that confidence will follow from it.
- Rinku said they will “carry this momentum forward”.
Ajinkya Rahane on emotions, bowlers and batting lessons
Skipper Ajinkya Rahane echoed the theme of relief and breakthrough after a difficult phase. He described the win as emotional and much-needed, and praised both Rinku and the bowling unit for delivering when it mattered.
- Rahane said the team felt “a lot of emotions” during the game.
- He highlighted Rinku’s effort along with Anukul Roy and Varun Chakravarthy.
- Rahane specifically praised Varun’s bowling and pointed to Anukul’s strong domestic form.
Rahane also spoke about game awareness and the need to improve with the bat. He stressed that understanding the situation is key, describing cricket as a “simple game” when approached correctly.
- He said the team must read the situation well.
- Rahane believed the win will add confidence and that the bowlers are “coming nicely together”.
- He said the batting unit can still improve.
In the same breath, Rahane lauded young pacer Kartik Tyagi for the clarity and confidence he showed.
- Rahane praised Kartik Tyagi for his clarity and confidence.
Why KKR had struggled: poor starts in the powerplay
Looking back on the team’s earlier difficulties, Rahane pointed to repeated slow beginnings. He said KKR had a bad powerplay in each of the previous three games and suggested that strike-rate alone can be misleading. He framed the Sunday result as a “great escape” and insisted the batting group must learn quickly.
- Rahane said KKR had a bad powerplay for the last three matches.
- He admitted that strike rate can be “overrated”.
- He called it a great escape and urged the batting unit to learn fast.
Rajasthan Royals’ perspective and fielding errors
Rajasthan captain Riyan Parag offered a different diagnosis, blaming costly lapses in the field that swung the contest. He felt the pitch played closer to a 170-run surface, but said his team fell 10 runs short, with errors proving decisive.
- Parag said he believed it was a 170-run wicket, yet Rajasthan ended up 10 runs short.
- He blamed errors from Rajasthan’s side for the outcome.
- Parag said they cannot afford to drop catches because those moments cost the game.
Parag also reflected on the tactical plan against spin. He said Rajasthan identified the right approach on a surface offering assistance for spin, but felt execution—particularly later in the innings—did not match the plan.
- He said there was plenty of spin on the wicket and that spin was the right way to go.
- Parag said the platform was set, but execution went wrong.
- He added that Rajasthan wanted to hit hard in the final five overs, but it didn’t happen.
He further noted that Rinku was dropped early in his innings, a detail that underlined how key moments shaped the match.
- Rajasthan’s captain said Rinku was dropped early in the innings.
Parag concluded that while the side understood the approach on a spin-friendly surface, the later stages required sharper execution than what was delivered.
