Rinku Singh has been appointed captain of Uttar Pradesh for the upcoming Vijay Hazare Trophy, India’s premier 50-over domestic competition, starting on December 21. He replaces Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who led the team in the recently concluded Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, where UP lost to Delhi in the quarter-finals.
This marks Rinku’s first captaincy stint for a state team at the senior level. Earlier this year, he successfully led the Meerut Mavericks to the UPT20 League title, scoring 210 runs in nine innings at an impressive strike rate of 161.54, primarily as a finisher. Reflecting on his leadership experience, Rinku said, “It was a big opportunity to lead in the UPT20 League, and I’m happy I could deliver. Captaincy taught me a lot, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.”
Rinku has also started exploring bowling to become a more versatile player. “Modern cricket demands an all-round package,” he noted. “As Uttar Pradesh captain, I have a bigger role, and I’m ready for it.”
His promotion as captain coincides with speculation about his potential leadership role at Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in IPL 2025. Rinku, a part of the KKR setup since 2018, emphasized his focus on the Vijay Hazare Trophy. “I’m not thinking about KKR captaincy now. My priority is helping Uttar Pradesh reclaim the title we last won in 2015-16.”
With 1899 runs in 52 List A innings at an average of 48.69 and a strike rate of 94.8, Rinku’s consistency is notable. While he has become a regular in India’s T20I setup, he has played only two ODIs. However, Rinku remains grounded, believing in hard work and divine timing. UP will kick off their campaign against Jammu and Kashmir on December 21.
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