"I observe Russell closely...": KKR's Rinku on learning from iconic West Indies all-rounder

Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], April 26 (ANI): Ahead of his side's Indian Premier League (IPL) clash against Punjab Kings (PBKS), Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) batter Rinku Singh opened up on learning from legends like MS Dhoni and Andre Russell and his belief in the Knights to breach the 300-run mark for the first time in the Indian Premier League (IPL) history.
PBKS will be locking horns against KKR at Eden Gardens on Saturday. PBKS is at the fifth spot with five wins and three losses, giving them 10 points. On the other hand, KKR is struggling, having won just three of their eight matches and standing in seventh spot in the points table.
Speaking to JioHotstar on 'Gen Bold', Rinku said about being utilised as a finisher at the number five and six and learning from Dhoni, "I usually bat at No. 5 or 6 -- I have done that for UP and in the IPL, so I am used to it. I focus a lot on fitness because with 14 matches in the IPL, it's my responsibility to maintain my body and recover well. I also speak to Mahi Bhai often -- he tells me to stay calm and play according to the match situation. Things fall into place when you stay composed."
Rinku also said that he has been learning since he started playing the IPL in 2018 with KKR. He also said about observing Russell, "I observe Russell closely, especially how he bats in the final overs, and how he uses his body to generate power. I keep watching and picking up things from him."
Rinku Singh backed the possibility of a team breaching the 300-run mark, citing past successful chases as proof of how the game has evolved:
"Yes, we can do it. IPL has reached a stage where even 300 is possible; last year, Punjab chased a total of 262 runs. All teams are strong this season--anyone can get to 300," he concluded.
In eight matches and seven innings of IPL 2025 so far, Rinku has made 133 runs at an average of 33.25, striking at 146.15, with the best score of 38*.
Squads:
Kolkata Knight Riders Squad: Rahmanullah Gurbaz(w), Sunil Narine, Ajinkya Rahane(c), Venkatesh Iyer, Rinku Singh, Moeen Ali, Andre Russell, Ramandeep Singh, Harshit Rana, Vaibhav Arora, Varun Chakaravarthy, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Manish Pandey, Anukul Roy, Rovman Powell, Luvnith Sisodia, Quinton de Kock, Anrich Nortje, Spencer Johnson, Chetan Sakariya, Mayank Markande
Punjab Kings Squad: Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh, Shreyas Iyer(c), Josh Inglis(w), Nehal Wadhera, Shashank Singh, Marcus Stoinis, Marco Jansen, Xavier Bartlett, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal, Harpreet Brar, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Praveen Dubey, Glenn Maxwell, Suryansh Shedge, Yash Thakur, Aaron Hardie, Azmatullah Omarzai, Kuldeep Sen, Harnoor Singh, Vishnu Vinod, Musheer Khan, Pyla Avinash. (ANI)