Cricketer Rinku Singh Wins Over MP Father After 3-Year Wait

When Priya Saroj's father wanted her to marry a government officer, she had other plans involving a cricketer who showed up four hours late to their first date.

Rinku Singh and Priya Saroj's romance started during the COVID-19 lockdown when mutual friends connected them to help promote Priya's sister's clothing business. Priya admits she liked his Instagram posts twice before Rinku sent the first message, and despite his terrible punctuality on their first meeting, something clicked.

But winning over Priya's father, three-time Member of Parliament Tufani Saroj, wasn't going to be easy. He had his heart set on finding his daughter an IAS officer through an arranged match.

So the couple played the long game for three years. Rinku focused on earning his spot on Team India while Priya pursued her dream of becoming a judge. Their early meetings were always family affairs, happening just once every few months.

"Never dated alone," Priya shared in a recent interview with Pyaar Ki Adaalat that went viral on social media.

In 2022, the breakthrough came. Priya successfully stalled her father's arranged marriage plans, and her brother called Rinku with a simple question: would he marry Priya? Rinku's answer was an instant yes.

Sunny's Take

What makes this story special isn't just the fairy-tale romance. It's watching two young people respect their families while staying true to their hearts. Rinku comes from humble beginnings in Aligarh, where he and his four brothers helped their father deliver gas cylinders. His mother once paid his 1,000 rupee tournament entry fee from her small shop earnings because she believed in his cricket dreams.

The couple got engaged on June 8, 2025, in Lucknow, but their wedding has become a running joke among cricket fans. First scheduled for November 2025, it got postponed for a cricket series. Then February 2026 didn't work because of the T20 World Cup and Indian Premier League.

Now they're aiming for June 2026 after IPL season ends. The ceremony will take place in Kashi, followed by a reception in Aligarh, bringing together their families and communities.

Today, they're a power couple representing two of India's biggest passions. Rinku shines on the cricket field while Priya serves as Member of Parliament from Machhlishahr for the Samajwadi Party, working as a lawyer and politician.

Their story proves that patience, respect, and genuine love can bridge even the toughest family expectations.