New Delhi: Rinku Singh has been named the captain of the Uttar Pradesh cricket team for the upcoming Vijay Hazare Trophy, which kicks off on December 21. Uttar Pradesh will start their campaign against Jammu and Kashmir in their Group D match in Vizianagaram. Rinku takes over the captaincy from Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who led the team during the recent Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.
This opportunity marks Rinku’s first time captaining the state team at the senior level. He previously showcased his leadership by guiding the Meerut Mavericks to a title win in the UP T20 league, where he scored an impressive 210 runs in nine innings, boasting a striking strike rate of 161.54.
As Rinku gears up for this new responsibility, his main focus is on formulating strategies for the Uttar Pradesh team in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, with the goal of bringing home a title that has long eluded the state. Although there have been rumors about his potential captaincy with Kolkata Knight Riders for IPL 2025, Rinku clarified that he isn’t thinking about that right now. He sees his current role with Uttar Pradesh as a vital step towards future leadership opportunities.”I am not thinking too much about the captaincy of KKR in the new IPL season. I am focused on my plans for Uttar Pradesh, as I want my team to regain the trophy we had won for the first time in 2015-16,” Rinku said.
“As captain of Uttar Pradesh, I have got a bigger role to play, and I’m ready for this,” Rinku added. The stats for this left-handed batsman in List-A cricket are quite significant. He’s scored almost 1,900 runs over the course of 52 innings, averaging just below 50, with highlights including a single century and a notable 17 half-centuries. As the coveted Champions Trophy draws nearer, set to commence in February next year, those selecting the team are expected to keep a keen eye on his display in the Vijay Hazare Trophy.
