New Delhi, May 21 (IANS): Former West Indies opener Chris Gayle believes that KKR batter Rinku Singh, who had a sensational IPL 2023 season, will get a massive spike in his salary next year.

Lucknow Super Giants clinched their spot in the 2023 IPL playoffs with a win in their final season game over the Kolkata Knight Riders on Saturday at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata.

Lucknow took the crease to bat first and scored 176 runs, with Nicolas Pooran's 58 runs (30b, 4x4, 5x6) being the highlight of the innings. Kolkata's innings showed the hunger to win their final game at home but they fell short by one run, scoring 175 runs with Rinku Singh almost pulling off a final over comeback win. He scored 67 runs in 33 deliveries (6x4, 4x6).

Even though KKR lost the game and have had a disappointing season, the emergence of Rinku Singh has been great to watch for the fans of the team.

JioCinema IPL expert Chris Gayle thinks Singh will end up getting a massive spike in his IPL salary in 2024.

"Rinku Singh has done this on a few occasions for KKR before. I am sure next year, he's going to get his paycheque a little higher because he's been the best performer with the bat for KKR," said Gayle.

It looked like the Super Giants would fail to put up a competent total with the bat until Nicolas Pooran came to the crease and gave Lucknow's batting the boost it desperately needed.

Former India spinner Pragyan Ojha spoke about Pooran's innings after the game.

"It was very important. In the position he came to bat in, the situation, and the number he came out at, it isn't easy. When the team needed him, he put together a half century for the team and gave them a respectable score, a total they can fight with. We know the kind of batting Nicolas Pooran can do and that's what he did, when the team needed him the most," said Ojha.

Meanwhile, IPL expert Zaheer Khan has also been taken aback by the emergence of Rinku Singh this season, surpassing KKR legend Andre Russell in the pecking order.

"If you had to look at a bright spot for KKR this season, it was Rinku Singh. He was standing between LSG and the playoffs and played with a lot of confidence. He's carried himself and the team like that all season long. When you have an accomplished finisher like Russell, and yet he is not being discussed during this season when you speak of KKR," said Zaheer.

"If Rinku Singh has been able to move a name like that to the back, it just goes to show how good his season has been for him," he added.