I don't believe I'm only a finisher: Rinku Singh

Rinku Singh's domestic form has kept him firmly in the selection frame and his recent Vijay Hazare Trophy cameos for Uttar Pradesh have only strengthened the case. The left-hander has finished games in style — including 67 off 48 balls against Hyderabad on Dec 24 and an unbeaten 57 off 30 against Vidarbha on Jan 5 — while continuing to score consistently across formats. So it wasn't much of a surprise when he was included in the Indian team for the upcoming T20 World Cup.Excerpts from an interview...You must have been elated to be picked for the T20 World Cup after being ignored for the series against South Africa...Of course, everyone feels good when their name is included. Getting into this Team India is very important. Playing the World Cup for the country is a matter of destiny. When a player is left out, it is usually due to team combinations. Sometimes, because the combinations do not work out, a player does not get a place.Do you see yourself only as a finisher, or do you think you can be equally good batting higher up the order?At the position I usually bat, people see me more as a ‘finisher', but I don't believe I can only play that role. I can bat anywhere. I've batted in the powerplay in domestic cricket and for India. I've scored all three of my fifties in the powerplay. I've batted in different roles.You had an excellent Ranji season but a not-so-successful Mushtaq Ali Trophy...The confidence that comes from scoring runs stays with you. In the World Cup, that confidence is going to matter a lot. You've to maintain belief in yourself.You've embraced leadership roles as well. Do you feel additional pressure when you're captaining UP?All the boys have been together since the beginning, which is very good for me. There was no special pressure of captaincy because everyone is united and our combination has delivered results. Our batting lineup was very deep. If one player gets out, another takes responsibility.You have a brilliant record in red-ball cricket. Do you think you deserve to be in the Test team too?Absolutely. Every player dreams of playing Test cricket because it is the highest form of the game. What is in my control is to keep performing, whether against the red ball or the white ball. The rest is in the selectors' hands. I have a strong desire to play red-ball cricket.How difficult is it to keep yourself motivated when you are not included in the playing XI?Many things happen because of preferred team combinations. One should not worry.