Rinku Singh, a star player for the Kolkata Knight Riders. Almost took a sweeper’s job before deciding to pursue his dream of playing professional cricket. History repeats itself.
The Indian Premier League (IPL) is the most popular Twenty20 league. In the world not only because of its glitz, player battles, packed stadiums, and rich cricketing tradition. But also because it provides a level-pegging platform for everyone, regardless of background.
One of the most inspiring examples of how the Indian Premier League (IPL) can bring a person from extreme poverty to superstardom is Rinku Singh’s story.
The 2023 season has demonstrated Rinku’s true potential. Whereas the IPL 2022 season provided a glimpse of what he can do with the bat.
The 25-year-old comes from one of the most affluent families. However, Rinku’s prodigy did not lose the big smile he always wears despite the difficult circumstances his parents faced.
His older brothers helped his father, Khanchand Singh, deliver gas cylinders by loading them onto his bicycle and riding from house to house. He and his wife Vina continue to reside in the two-room shack near a stockyard for gas cylinders.
Even Rinku was offered the chance to join his brother and become a sweeper, cleaning houses for a living. However, the man always believed that he had the ability to play cricket and saw the sport as the only way to escape poverty.
“I was only beginning out and hadn’t played cricket properly when I was asked to join my brother in the job quest.
I was recruited by a coaching facility to sweep and mop. Rinku can be heard saying, “I refused because I didn’t like the task,” in a video that KKR shared.
“I played cricket as promised to everyone, and I stood by my word. “I always thought that cricket would be my ticket to success. Despite the fact that I lacked a lot of credentials. I had no alternative but to concentrate entirely on the game of cricket.
I worked very hard, and now it’s beginning to pay off “He went on. After KKR’s historic victory over Gujarat Titans, the defending champions, on Sunday, he said that despite the odds being stacked against him, he didn’t give up and scored 28 runs in the final five balls.
His life was not much different from the situation on the field. Where his chances of becoming a professional cricketer were slim. But just like in the game against Gujarat, Rinku, always smiling, beat the odds and is on his way to accomplishing a lot more than he has yet.