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Watch: Rinku gifts signed cap to ball-kid he accidentally hit during training

by Wisden Staff March 12, 2024 - 1:26pm 3 minute read

Watch: In a heart-warming gesture, Rinku Singh gifted a signed cap to a ball-kid after he accidentally hit the latter while batting in the nets ahead of IPL 2024.

Rinku Singh was honing his batting skills at his IPL franchise Kolkata Knight Riders’ nets, ahead of the start of the 17th season on March 22. Practising against spin, he launched a ball down the ground, which had struck a ball-kid. The next moment, Rinku was seen enquiring about the youngster’s well-being, asking where it had hit him and whether he was okay.

KKR’s official X (previously Twitter) handle posted a video about the conversation in which Rinku was heard saying “sorry” to the ball-kid and offered him a floppy hat with his autograph on it.

Last year, Rinku repaid KKR’s persistence with him with a stellar season, scoring 474 runs from 14 matches at an average of 59.25 and a strike-rate of 150. Rinku was rewarded with an India call-up for his purple patch and didn’t disappoint there either. From 15 T20Is, he has made 356 runs at 89 while striking at a whopping 176. With his finishing prowess, he is expected to find a place in India’s 2024 T20I World Cup squad.