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Indian batter Rinku Singh has made a strong case to become Kolkata Knight Riders’ (KKR) next captain after leading Meerut Mavericks to the UPT20 League title. Rinku Singh captained Meerut Mavericks to a massive 94-run win over Lucknow Falcons in the UPT20 League 2026 final on September 6.
Rinku proved his captaincy by leading the Meerut Mavericks to the UPT20 League title victory at an important time when the Kolkata Knight Riders are searching for a new captain. Earlier, Ameesha Patel shut down Hardik Pandya dating rumours with savage reply.
Rinku Singh’s captaincy masterclass!
Rinku Singh has been excellent as the captain, as he led Meerut Mavericks to nine wins of their 10 matches during the 2026 UPT20 season before lifting the championship on Sunday at the Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow. However, he scored only one run from two balls in the final.
Yet, Meerut Mavericks managed to post a huge total of 203/7, thanks to opener Divyansh Joshi’s match-winning knock of 105 runs from just 40 balls. Chasing the huge target of 204 runs, the Bhuvneshwar Kumar-led Lucknow Falcons were bowled out for only 109 in 16 overs.
Rinku Singh’s UPT20 League success gives KKR big reason to back him
Rinku was KKR’s vice-captain during IPL 2026. With Ajinkya Rahane now retired from all forms of the game, the three-time IPL champions need a new captain, and Rinku looks like a strong option. Amid this, Ishan Kishan’s GF shares a heartfelt message after the keeper-batter’s Duleep Trophy century.
The 28-year-old has been with KKR for almost a decade and has played all 73 of his IPL matches for the franchise since his debut in 2018. He has scored 1,394 IPL runs and was KKR’s leading run-scorer in IPL 2026 despite the team having a disastrous season under Rahane.
He was recently left out of India’s squad for the upcoming three-match T20I series against Afghanistan, but his captaincy in the UPT20 League has once again put him in the spotlight.
Now, after proving himself as a successful captain in the UPT20 League, Rinku has given KKR another big reason to consider handing him the captaincy ahead of the IPL 2027.
Suresh Raina backs Rinku Singh for KKR captaincy after UPT20 glory
Meanwhile, former India batter Suresh Raina has backed Rinku for the Kolkata Knight Riders captaincy. Raina believes KKR should act quickly and hand the leadership role to Rinku. His suggestion came after Rinku led Meerut Mavericks to the UPT20 League title on Sunday.
Suresh Raina said on the sidelines of the UPT20 League final: “Firstly, congratulations to Captain Rinku Singh. This is the fourth season of the UP T20 League, and they are playing in the fourth final. KKR is looking for a captain, but I think the franchise has finally gotten its captain. Invest a little in him, give him some matches, and you never know.”
Notably, KKR has been linked with Hardik Pandya in a possible trade. However, there is still no official confirmation, and the reported deal between Kolkata Knight Riders and Mumbai Indians for the star Indian all-rounder remains only a rumor for now.
