"Can't find any technical reasons why Rinku cannot be a successful Test batter"- Vikram Rathour backs youngster to blossom for India

Outgoing Team India batting coach picked T20 sensation Rinku Singh to find success for the national side in Test cricket if given an opportunity. The 26-year-old debuted for India in the white-ball formats last year and has played 20 T20Is and two ODIs so far.

Rinku boasts a sensational T20I record as India's finisher with an average of 83.20 and a strike rate of 176.27. He was in the traveling reserves of the 2024 T20 World Cup-winning Indian squad.

In a conversation with PTI, Rathour said:

"When I see him bat in nets, I can't find any technical reasons why Rinku cannot be a successful Test batter. I understand he has made his name as a terrific finisher in T20 cricket but if you look at his first-class record, he is averaging in high 50s. He is also blessed with a very calm temperament. So all these factors indicate that if given an opportunity, he can develop into a Test cricketer."

Despite becoming a household name for his heroics in the IPL and T20Is, Rinku Singh boasts a stellar first-class record. The talented batter averages an impressive 54.70 with seven centuries in 47 outings in the red-ball format for Uttar Pradesh.

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"Rahul is the best coach that I have worked with" - Vikram Rathour

Vikram Rathour hailed Rahul Dravid as the best coach he has worked with after the duo helped India to the 2024 T20 World Cup title in the West Indies and the USA.

Dravid was India's head coach from November 2021 until the end of the T20 World Cup and has been replaced by former batter Gautam Gambhir.

"Rahul is the best coach that I have worked with, who gives you lots of space to work, is open to suggestions and will provide you an honest feedback. One of the first discussions we had was about changing the batting template in T20 cricket. We agreed that we needed to bring in more intent and aggression in our batting approach," said Rathour.

He cited the example of having Axar Patel at No.8 in the batting order which helped the top-order batters play with freedom.

"That made a massive difference and gave the batters in top order lot more freedom to bat," added Rathour.

Under Dravid, India also dominated in the other two formats, reaching the 2023 World Test Championship (WTC) and ODI World Cup final.

Meanwhile, Rathour became India's batting coach, replacing Sanjay Bangar in 2019.