Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], March 26 (ANI): India's star batter Rinku Singh expresses gratitude to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and his government for appointing him as a Regional Sports Officer.

X handle of Government of UP, shared a video in which the flamboyant left-hand batter thanked the Chief Minister and said, 'I am deeply grateful from the bottom of my heart to Chief Minister @myogiadityanath ji for honouring me with a sum of 3 crore and assigning me the responsibility of Regional Sports Officer.'

In the video, the 27-year-old batter also said that he couldn't meet the Chief Minister due to his commitments with the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and is expecting to meet him after the conclusion of the IPL 2026, and also collect his appointment letter from him.

Rinku rose to stardom by smashing Gujarat Titans' Yash Dayal during the IPL 2023 for five successive sixes in the final over during a tense chase of 200-odd runs for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), and since then, has become an Asian Games gold medal winner, Asia Cup winner and, most recently, the T20 World Cup winner with Men in Blue.

He has helped the India men's team win several matches by playing the role of an explosive, six-hitting finisher down the order.

In 45 T20Is, Rinku has made 665 runs at an average of 39.11 and a strike rate of 155.73. He also has three half-centuries in the shortest format. Rinku has also represented India in a couple of ODIs. He has three T20Is and an ODI wicket under his name.

Rinku has also been named the vice-captain of KKR for the upcoming IPL 2026, taking on a new leadership role within the team.

He will serve as the deputy to Ajinkya Rahane, stepping into the vice-captaincy role previously held by Venkatesh Iyer, who was acquired by defending champions Royal Challengers Bangalore for Rs 7 crore ahead of the season.

Earlier on Wednesday, while speaking during the programme organised for the distribution of appointment letters and prize money to international medal-winning players on Wednesday, CM Yogi emphasised that Uttar Pradesh is the first state in the country to give priority to athletes in government services.

'UP is the first state in the country to give athletes priority in government service. So far, we have provided appointment letters to over 500 athletes for various police positions... For his performance in cricket and the Asian Games, Rinku Singh has been given an appointment letter as a Regional Sports Officer. He is already a part of a camp (KKR camp in the IPL), so he has gone there. Many other players have also got appointment letters here today,' he said. (ANI)