Aligarh, March 24 (IANS) Welcoming the Uttar Pradesh Government’s decision to appoint India star Rinku Singh as the Regional Sports Officer, his coach Masooduzzafar Amin expressed gratitude and optimism, saying the move will inspire young cricketers to take up the sport while strengthening the overall sporting ecosystem in the state.

“The UP government has given him the job, and I thank the government for this. The decision will help young cricketers come into the sport and will motivate them to play. We have a lot of expectations from Rinku working as an officer, and he will strengthen the sport,” Rinku Singh’s coach told IANS.

Apart from Rinku Singh, the Uttar Pradesh government is set to give employment to six international medallists, including hockey player Rajkumar Pal, who was a member of India’s bronze-winning team at the 2924 Olympics in Paris. Javelin thrower Ajit Singh and sprinter Simran will become District Panchayat Raj Officers. Paralympic gold medallist Praveen Kumar will also become a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP).

Earlier, three-time champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) named Rinku as their vice-captain for the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season. Rinku Singh has been a key performer for KKR with his explosive batting and sharp fielding.

The 28-year-old brings leadership experience from domestic circuits and previous IPL stints.

The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), led by veteran India opener Ajinkya Rahane, will open their IPL 2026 campaign against five-time champions Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on March 29.

Their first home match will be against 2016 winners Sunrisers Hyderabad at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on April 2, before hosting Punjab Kings and Lucknow Super Giants for clashes on April 6 and 9, respectively.

Recently, Rinku Singh was part of the Indian men’s T20 team that won the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, beating New Zealand in the final in Ahmedabad. Rinku had a difficult time during the T20 World Cup as he lost his father during the competition.

–IANS

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