Rinku Singh to lead Uttar Pradesh in Vijay Hazare Trophy 2024-25

Rinku Singh is set to lead Uttar Pradesh in the upcoming Vijay Hazare Trophy, which will get underway from December 21. The UP team will be high on confidence after great performances in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) 2024 as the team reached the quarter-finals after finishing second in the group stage with five wins and two losses under the captaincy of Bhuvneshwar Kumar.

The team showed plenty of promise in the tournament with some consistent performances from their players. Rinku Singh, the swashbuckling left-hander, was the highest run-scorer for the team as he finished with 277 runs at strike rate of 152.19 and average 69.25 in nine matches. 

Rinku has been rising through the ranks not only in domestic but international cricket as well, having made his international debut in 2023. He has represented India in three ODIs and 30 T20Is so far. The upcoming opportunity at the Vijay Hazare Trophy will be a chance for the 27-year-old to establish his leadership credentials.

Also read: SMAT 2024: Top three run-getters in the tournament

Though Rinku is known for his performances in T20 cricket, his List-A record is phenomental as well. The 27-year-old has played 57 matches and has1899 runs at an average of 48.69 and an impressive strike rate of 94.80, including 17 half-centuries and a solitary century. 

Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh will begin their campaign against Jammu and Kashmir on December 21) in Vizag. They will be up against Mizoram on December 23, followed by games against Tamil Nadu (December 26), Chhattisgarh (December 28), Chandigarh (December 31) and Vidarbha (January 3) in their next league stage matches, respectively.

Uttar Pradesh squad for Vijay Hazare Trophy