Kolkata Knight Riders Appoint Rinku Singh as Vice-Captain for IPL 2026
Rinku Singh Takes on Leadership Role
Kolkata: The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), who have clinched the IPL title three times, have officially announced Rinku Singh as their vice-captain for the upcoming IPL 2026 season.
Rinku Singh has established himself as a vital player for KKR, showcasing his explosive batting skills and agile fielding. At 28 years old, he brings valuable leadership experience from both domestic leagues and previous IPL seasons.
Venky Mysore, the CEO of KKR, expressed the franchise's excitement, stating, “We are thrilled to share that Rinku Singh will serve as the Vice-captain of our team. Since joining KKR in 2018, he has been a consistent presence on the squad.”
KKR, under the captaincy of seasoned Indian opener Ajinkya Rahane, will kick off their IPL 2026 journey against the five-time champions, Mumbai Indians, at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on March 29.
Their first home game is scheduled against the 2016 champions, Sunrisers Hyderabad, at Eden Gardens in Kolkata on April 2, followed by matches against Punjab Kings and Lucknow Super Giants on April 6 and 9, respectively.
Currently, KKR is conducting trials during their pre-season camp to find replacements for injured fast bowlers, including Harshit Rana. Players such as Navdeep Saini, Akash Madhwal, Simarjeet Singh, Sandeep Warrier, KM Asif, and Sunil Kumar are participating in these trials to secure spots in the KKR lineup.
Previously, KKR had to replace Indian pacer Akash Deep, who was sidelined due to a stress reaction in his lower back, with Saurabh Dubey from Vidarbha.
Dubey was initially signed by Sunrisers Hyderabad for IPL 2022, but his time was cut short due to a back injury.
At 28, Dubey has yet to make his IPL debut and went unsold during the mini-auction in Abu Dhabi last year. However, since he registered for the auction, he is now part of the Registered Available Player Pool (RAPP), allowing any franchise to select him as a replacement for injured players.
Having played eight List A matches and three T20 games for Vidarbha, Dubey was also part of the India A team during the 2019 ACC Emerging Teams Asia Cup, where he was coached by current India men's batting coach Sitanshu Kotak. His talent was previously noted by former Indian pacer Subroto Banerjee, who concluded his term as a national selector last year.