Rachin Ravindra, the young New Zealand all-rounder, is making waves in the cricketing world. Having initially established himself as a left-arm spinner and a handy lower-order batsman, he has blossomed into an all-format player in the past year. His impressive 578 runs in the 2023 ODI World Cup earned him the ICC Emerging Player of the Year award, solidifying his talent. Ravindra also slammed his maiden Test century earlier this year, scoring 240 runs against South Africa in Mount Maunganui.
As New Zealand prepares for a crucial Test series in the subcontinent – one against Afghanistan, two in Sri Lanka, and three in India – Ravindra’s versatility makes him a crucial asset for the Black Caps. To acclimatize himself to the subcontinent conditions, he is currently training at the Chennai Super Kings’ High-Performance Centre in Chennai, alongside his teammate Ben Sears.
“It’s been a great few days here in Chennai, being able to acclimatise ourselves in terms of the red and black soil pitches that we might face,” Ravindra said. Having played for CSK in the IPL this year, he is familiar with the training facilities and the conditions.
Ravindra, who is also a seasoned T20 World Cup participant, is keen to refine his techniques in preparation for the challenging Tests. “When you look at how the guys from the subcontinent bat, they hold their shape for longer in the lower positions they get into. As cricketers from the western side, we are still trying to incorporate that into our spin games,” he explained, highlighting his focus on improving his spin bowling against subcontinental batsmen.
Ravindra attributes his recent success to the opportunities he has received to play in different environments. “I have been extremely blessed and grateful to be able to play a lot of cricket in different environments in the last 12 months. I played for some amazing teams and around some amazing people. I’m very lucky for that, and I guess for me, it’s just taking it day by day and seeing where it takes me,” he said, reflecting on his journey.
His training in Chennai is overseen by Sriram Krishnamurthy, the Head Coach of the Super Kings Academy. Ravindra, who has known Krishnamurthy since his junior days, is appreciative of his coach’s guidance and their longstanding relationship. “It’s special to have Shree here, someone I have worked with since I was 15. You have that trust and connection with each other, and you know whatever he says comes from the right place.”
Ravindra, despite a less than stellar IPL performance, is grateful for the opportunity to train at the CSK facility and appreciates the franchise’s relationship with its players. “I think CSK have been very good to all their players in the past, especially being able to come here and train for tours. Their hospitality has been great, so I guess it’s that relationship between player and franchise. It shows how much they value players by how they treat them, and (I am) very lucky to be involved with the Super Kings.”
Reflecting on his debut Test match in Kanpur in 2021, Ravindra remembers his crucial last-wicket partnership with Ajaz Patel, which helped save the first Test against India. He hopes to draw on that experience in the upcoming series, aiming to give the Indian team a tough fight.
“I think it will always be difficult when you play India in a three-match Test series. It shows how good they are as a team, especially in the red-ball format at home. It’s going to be tough, and we will look to take the stuff that we learned from the last series here. They are a world-class team for a reason, and hopefully, we can give them a run for their money,” he said, acknowledging the formidable challenge India presents.
New Zealand cricket has enjoyed a golden period over the past decade, culminating in a World Test Championship (WTC) title in 2021. However, with some of their big stars approaching the end of their careers, the team is undergoing a transition. Senior players like Kane Williamson and Trent Boult have opted out of the national contract to focus on T20 leagues.
Ravindra, expressing optimism about the future, believes that New Zealand’s strong domestic structure will help the team manage this transition smoothly. “I think it’s always going to be tough when you have world-class players, Bolt, Kane, Timmy (Southee) and the likes. I think the beauty of New Zealand is that we are a competitive nation. The structure of domestic cricket and the pathway system are really good. There are a lot of guys playing for New Zealand at the moment who’ve gone through the New Zealand pathway and learnt a lot from that too, and I think our domestic cricket is very good too.”
“I think the beauty of having a competitive team is that guys at the lower level always try to get better. It’s hard to crystal ball gaze and see what will happen, but hopefully, we’re all ready for it. We can all continue contributing to the team and understand that yes, the quality of players is still there, but it’s important how we treat this environment and how we keep driving it forward and keep it a great place to play,” Ravindra concluded, highlighting his faith in the team’s ability to navigate this transition phase and maintain its competitive spirit.
