KKR's Rinku Singh building hostel for poverty-stricken cricketers

Rinku Singh shot five straight sixes in the last over to give his team an unlikely victory a few days ago, making him the talk of the country. Rinku may not be one of the IPL's highest-paid cricketers, but that didn't stop him from opening a hostel for aspiring players who wanted to break big but couldn't due to financial limitations.

He almost became a sweeper but his dream of making it big in cricket prompted him to hang in there. When he started earning by playing cricket, all the money would go to paying loans his family had taken from various people. After securing an IPL contract in 2018, he said, "I will contribute to my elder brother's wedding, save some for my sister's wedding. And I'll move to a good house with my family."

When he got chances on a regular basis, Rinku became one of KKR's most reliable late-order players in no time.

Given the struggles he went through, the all-rounder has always wanted gifted kids to have a smooth ride, and his wish will come true when the hostel opens next month.

"He always wanted to build a hostel for young players, who do not have financial resources to pursue their dreams. As he is financially sound now, he has decided to make it a reality," Masooduz-Zafar Amini, Rinku's childhood coach from Aligarh, told New Indian Express.

"The work started around three months ago with Rinku watching the progress from close quarters before heading to join his team. The hostel will have 14 rooms and each one can accommodate four trainees. A shed and a pavilion are also being constructed. Separate toilets are also being constructed. These trainees can have food at the canteen being run at the place. It will cost around INR 50 lakh and the whole expenditure is being borne by Rinku."

"We delivered gas cylinders together when our father was not able to do that but we always wanted him to focus on cricket. The sacrifices we made bore fruits as he not only pulled us out of poverty but also decided to build a hostel for poor cricketers," said Rinku's brother Sonu.

"Around a dozen of our trainees will shift to the hostel. Presently, they pay hefty rent but here they can get rooms and food at a marginal cost. Besides, they don't have to waste time and money on travel as well," said the coach.

"Almost 90 per cent of the work is done. It will get ready by next month. Rinku will inaugurate it once he is back from the IPL. Hopefully, this facility will make life easier for these youngsters," he concluded.