Rinku Singh — the name has become synonymous with high-pressure finishing, ice-cool composure, and jaw-dropping six-hitting. And on a dramatic Sunday evening at Lucknow’s Ekana Stadium, the Kolkata Knight Riders’ vice-captain added another glorious chapter to his already legendary IPL story.
Walking in when KKR were gasping at 31/4 after a stunning collapse, Rinku played the rescue act of a lifetime. His unbeaten 83 off 51 balls didn’t just drag his team to a fighting total — it shattered a 15-year-old record held by none other than the legendary MS Dhoni.
The Match Situation: A Collapse That Needed a Saviour
The IPL 2026 clash between Lucknow Super Giants and Kolkata Knight Riders was expected to be a high-octane contest. But what unfolded was a collapse that would have demoralised most teams. KKR’s top order crumbled like a house of cards — at 31/4 after 6.1 overs, the innings was bleeding profusely. The run rate was crawling; wickets were tumbling, and the dugout looked shell-shocked.
And then walked in Rinku Singh on No. 6.
The left-hander didn’t have the luxury of big-hitting from ball one. He had to first stop the collapse, then rebuild the innings, and finally manufacture a late-overs assault — all while wickets kept falling at the other end. He did all three without breaking a sweat.
The Record-Breaking Knock: 83* That Rewrote History Books
Rinku remained unbeaten at 83 off just 51 deliveries — an innings studded with seven fours and five towering sixes. His strike rate of nearly 163 was extraordinary, especially considering the deep trouble he walked into.
But what made this knock truly historic was the record it broke. Until April 26, 2026, the highest score by an Indian batter batting at No. 6 or lower in the first innings of an IPL match belonged to MS Dhoni — an unbeaten 70 off 40 balls for Chennai Super Kings against Royal Challengers Bengaluru way back in 2011. That record stood for an incredible 15 years.
Ranking | Player | Runs | Balls | 4s/6s | Opposition | Venue | Year |
1 | Rinku Singh | 83* | 51 | 7/5 | Lucknow Super Giants | Lucknow | 2026 |
2 | MS Dhoni | 70* | 40 | 3/6 | Royal Challengers Bengaluru | Bengaluru | 2011 |
3 | Ryan ten Doeschate | 70* | 49 | 6/3 | Mumbai Indians | Mumbai | 2011 |
4 | Kieron Pollard | 70 | 34 | 7/5 | Rajasthan Royals | Ahmedabad | 2015 |
5 | Dinesh Karthik | 69 | 38 | 6/4 | Rajasthan Royals | Delhi | 2010 |
Source: News18 / Times Now
In fact, among batters batting at No. 6 or lower in the first innings of an IPL match, only Andre Russell’s 88* (off 36 balls for KKR against CSK in 2018) remains ahead of Rinku in the all-time list. But when it comes to Indian batters, Rinku now sits firmly at the top — above legends like Dhoni, Karthik, and Raina.
Four Sixes in the Final Over: The Rinku Singh Show
If the record-breaking 83 wasn’t enough, the way Rinku finished the innings was pure theatre. Facing Digvesh Rathi in the final over, Rinku unleashed absolute carnage — four consecutive sixes in a 26-run over that single-handedly carried KKR past the 150-run mark.
The over went like this: 6, 6, 6, 6 — an astonishing display of power-hitting and nerve. For those who remember his five consecutive sixes off Yash Dayal against Gujarat Titans in 2023, this felt like déjà vu. Except this time, it came when his team was battling a deep collapse, not a run-chase.
Reflecting on his approach after the match, Rinku said, “When I went into bat four wickets had fallen, so I kept thinking how I could go about and I must take the game till the end. Since we had lost four wickets, it was about keeping the scoreboard moving and put the loose balls away.”
The Crucial Partnership with Sunil Narine
One of the most underrated aspects of Rinku’s knock was his 62-run stand for the 8th wicket with Sunil Narine — and that too from just 30 balls. Let that sink in. Sunil Narine, primarily a bowler, contributed only 4 runs off 6 balls. Rinku did nearly all the heavy lifting. But the partnership itself was invaluable — it stemmed from the collapse, ate up overs, and gave KKR’s lower order a platform to push towards a defendable total.
From 31/4 to 155/7 — that 124-run recovery would have been impossible without Rinku’s calm head and explosive bat in the death overs.
Beyond the Bat: The All-Round Masterclass
Now, if you think the record-breaking 83 was his only contribution — think again. Rinku delivered what many are calling one of the most complete all-round performances in IPL history.
In the field, Rinku took four catches during regular play and added another in the Super Over — taking his total to five dismissals. Among these was a stunning relay catch alongside Rovman Powell that had fans and commentators alike drawing comparisons to Suryakumar Yadav’s iconic World Cup grab.
When asked about his fielding heroics, Rinku humbly said, “I’ve always loved fielding since childhood. I’m naturally fit, so I can run fast and cover the ground well. I just enjoy fielding a lot.”
The Super Over Drama: Rinku Seals the Win
The match hasn’t been done yet. LSG, chasing 156, tied the scores courtesy of a last-ball six from Mohammed Shami — forcing the first Super Over of IPL 2026.
KKR bowled first in the Super Over, and Sunil Narine produced magic — striking twice to restrict LSG to just 1 run. The target for KKR: 2 runs off 6 balls.
Rinku walked out to chase. First ball from Prince Yadav — a missed yorker — and Rinku sliced it through the off-side for a boundary. Victory off the very first delivery. The calmness, the composure, the execution — all signatures of Rinku Singh.
Some cricket analysts even estimated that Rinku’s complete match contribution — including his batting rescue act, his five catches, and his Super Over heroics — was worth approximately ₹1.76 crore, giving KKR a surplus of nearly ₹75 lakh over his rolling match cost. That’s a staggering measure of how valuable one individual can be.
From IPL 2025 Struggles to IPL 2026 Redemption
There’s an extra layer to this story — one that makes Rinku’s record-breaking knock even more inspiring.
Just a year earlier, IPL 2025 had been a tough campaign for Rinku. He scored only 206 runs from 11 innings at an average of 29.42, managing just 10 sixes throughout the season. KKR captain Ajinkya Rahane publicly pointed to underwhelming batting performances from key players including Rinku as the main reason for the defending champions’ disappointing eighth-place finish.
For a player who had exploded onto the national scene with those five sixes against Gujarat Titans, the 2025 season was a humbling reality check. There were questions — Could Rinku sustain his success? Was he a one-season wonder?
He answered every single question with that 83 against LSG.
Leading into IPL 2026, KKR promoted Rinku to vice-captain — a clear signal of the franchise’s long-term faith in him. And he has repaid that faith with interest. His career IPL stats now stand at 1,314 runs from 67 games at an average of 32.85 and a strike rate of 144.55. More importantly, he has re-established himself as one of the most reliable finishers in the country.
Breaking Dhoni’s Record: Passing the Torch?
There’s something poetic about Rinku Singh breaking a record held by MS Dhoni — especially considering how often Dhoni’s name comes up in discussions about Rinku’s finishing ability.
Rinku has spoken in the past about the advice Dhoni gave him: “Stay calm and play accordingly.” He credits Mahi Bhai for helping him remain composed during high-pressure run-chases. And in many ways, Rinku’s approach to finishing games — taking the game deep, backing his power, and remaining unflappable under pressure — carries strong echoes of the Dhoni era.
When KKR’s official social media handles posted about Rinku’s five consecutive sixes against Gujarat Titans in 2023, they asked a question that went viral: “Rinku Singh or MS Dhoni?” Now, breaking Dhoni’s 15-year-old record, Rinku has offered his own answer. He isn’t trying to replace Dhoni — but he is certainly writing about his own legend.
What This Means for KKR and Rinku Singh
For Kolkata Knight Riders, Rinku’s resurgence could not have come at a better time. After the disappointment of IPL 2025, KKR needed their core players to step up — and Rinku has delivered in spectacular fashion. His 83 against LSG is now his highest IPL score, and the maturity he showed in pacing his innings from a collapse position indicates a batter who has grown significantly as a cricketer.
Some key takeaways from this performance:
Pressure absorption: Coming in at 31/4 and batting till the final ball of the innings shows immense mental strength
Death-over dominance: Four consecutive sixes in the last over — including the final ball — is as clutch as it gets
All-round value: Four (or five) catches combined with a match-winning knock makes Rinku an incredibly valuable asset in T20 cricket
Leadership maturity: As vice-captain, Rinku is showing that he can lead from the front when his team needs him most
Looking Ahead: Rinku Singh’s Trajectory
At 28 years old, Rinku Singh is entering what should be the peak years of his career. With 1,300+ IPL runs, a growing reputation as one of the best finishers in the world, and now a record that surpasses MS Dhoni, the trajectory is pointing firmly upward.
He has already represented India in T20Is, and if he continues playing innings like this — rescuing teams from collapses, finishing games under pressure, and complementing his batting with exceptional fielding — a permanent spot in the national T20I setup should be a matter of time.
The 83 against LSG isn’t just a number. It’s a statement. A statement that Rinku Singh is here to stay. A statement that the Aligarh-born boy who once struggled to afford proper cricket gear is now breaking records held by the greatest finisher Indian cricket has ever produced.
Conclusion
Records are meant to be broken. But breaking a 15-year-old record held by MS Dhoni — a man widely regarded as the greatest finisher in the history of limited-overs cricket — is no ordinary achievement.
Rinku Singh’s 83* against Lucknow Super Giants will be remembered as more than just a match-winning knock. It will be remembered as the night a new finisher announced his arrival on the biggest stage, while respectfully tipping his hat to the legend whose record he broke.
From 31/4 to 155/7 — from surviving a collapse to engineering a historic Super Over win — Rinku Singh proved once again why the IPL’s most thrilling moments often have a single name attached to them.
When the game is on the line, when the pressure is at its peak, when every ball feels like a final — give the bat to Rinku Singh.
The stage was set in Lucknow. The record was 15 years old. And Rinku Singh delivered a knock for the ages.
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