Rinku Singh has been named the captain of the Uttar Pradesh cricket team for the upcoming Vijay Hazare Trophy, India’s premier 50-over domestic tournament, starting on December 21. He succeeds Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who led the team during the recently concluded Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, where Uttar Pradesh was eliminated by Delhi in the quarterfinals.
This marks Rinku’s debut as a captain at the senior level for Uttar Pradesh. Earlier this year, he captained the Meerut Mavericks to victory in the UPT20 League, scoring 210 runs across nine innings at an impressive strike rate of 161.54, primarily excelling in the finisher’s role.
Reflecting on his captaincy experience, Rinku stated, “Leading Meerut Mavericks in the UPT20 League was a significant opportunity, and I’m happy I delivered. Captaincy allowed me to learn a lot, and I thoroughly enjoyed the challenge.”
He also spoke about his evolving game: “I experimented with off-spin bowling during the UPT20 League. Modern cricket requires players to be versatile—able to bat, bowl, and field effectively. As the captain of Uttar Pradesh, I have a larger role, and I’m prepared for it.”
Rinku’s elevation coincides with discussions within Kolkata Knight Riders, his IPL franchise, regarding their captaincy choices for the 2025 season. Part of the KKR squad since 2018, Rinku was retained in the recent auction alongside Sunil Narine, Andre Russell, Varun Chakravarthy, and Ramandeep Singh. However, Rinku remains grounded: “I’m not thinking too much about KKR’s captaincy. My focus is on Uttar Pradesh and helping my team reclaim the Vijay Hazare Trophy, which we last won in 2015-16.”
The tournament is significant as national selectors will monitor performances to finalize India’s ODI squad for the Champions Trophy in February. While Rinku has become a regular in India’s T20I setup, he has played only two ODIs, making his debut in South Africa a year ago.
Rinku’s List A credentials are strong, with 1899 runs in 52 innings at an average of 48.69 and a strike rate of 94.8, including one century and 17 half-centuries. However, he remains focused on the process rather than selection. “I trust in God. When I hit five consecutive sixes in the IPL, I didn’t think it would change my life, but it did. If something is destined for me, it will come my way. Meanwhile, I’ll keep working hard,” he said.
