New Zealand’s Emerging Cricket World Cup Hero with Strong Indian Roots
It is only fitting that Rachin Ravindra, whose name pays homage to two Indian cricketing legends, emerged as New Zealand’s youngest centurion in a Cricket World Cup match held on Indian soil. If the global cricketing community was not aware of Rachin Ravindra before, they certainly know him now after his sensational performance in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 opening match.
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Ravindra’s remarkable achievement unfolded during the India vs New Zealand Cricket World Cup thrilling nine-wicket victory against defending champions England. This young all-rounder played a pivotal role in both innings of the match, held at Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium on Thursday. His outstanding century helped fill the void left by Kane Williamson. At just 23 years old, Rachin Ravindra’s inclusion in the playing XI proved to be a game-changing decision for the New Zealand cricket World Cup coach.
At the youthful age of 23 years and 321 days, he etched his name in the cricketing records as the third-youngest batsman to mark his India Cricket World Cup debut with a century. Notably, Ravindra’s contributions extended beyond his batting prowess; he also made a significant impact with the ball. In the first innings of the match, he bowled a full quota of 10 overs and crucially dismissed Harry Brook, who, at that juncture, posed a formidable challenge to England with his impressive 25 runs off 16 balls.
It’s a remarkable twist of fate that the budding Kiwi cricketer achieved his maiden ODI century on Indian soil. Ravindra’s deep-rooted connection to India’s CWC player can be traced back to his parents, Ravi Krishnamurthy and Deepa Krishnamurthy, who relocated from Bengaluru to Wellington in the 1990s. Ravindra’s father, a former club player and ardent cricket lover, left an indelible mark by naming his son, born on November 18, 1999, in Wellington, after two iconic Indian cricket World Cup legends. The name ‘Rachin’ is a fusion of the names Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid.
The story behind Ravindra’s name
In a recent interview, Ravindra shared the heart-warming story of his name’s origin, saying, ‘Back in the day, mum and dad were deciding about names and they both liked Rahul and Sachin and liked their names. ‘Ra’ from Rahul and ‘Chin’ from Sachin,’ but that was a long time ago. Two amazing players. Very lucky to be named after them.
Ravindra’s prodigious talent didn’t go unnoticed, earning him a spot in New Zealand’s Under-19 and ‘A’ teams at a tender age. His journey included representing New Zealand in the Under-19 Cricket World Cup in 2016 and the 2018 edition held on home turf, where he showcased his batting prowess with a stellar 117 against Kenya and an impressive 76 against South Africa. Notably, he also emerged as the top wicket-taker for the Kiwis, claiming 13 wickets.
In 2021, Ravindra marked his T20I debut against Bangladesh in Mirpur, an experience that started with a challenging twist as he was dismissed for a golden duck. Unfortunately, New Zealand faced defeat in that game. Ravindra makes Test debut on Indian soil.
Following his T20I debut, Ravindra swiftly ascended to the Test arena for the Black Caps, and intriguingly, his inaugural Test appearance took place in India, a country where he maintains family ties, with his paternal grandparents residing in Jayanagar, South Bengaluru. Earlier this year, Ravindra also earned India vs New Zealand ODI World Cup squad, solidifying his presence across all formats.
A notable aspect of Ravindra’s cricketing journey is his jersey number, which is No 8 when representing New Zealand. This choice holds special significance as he is an avid admirer of the late basketball superstar Kobe Bryant, renowned for winning five NBA titles with the Los Angeles Lakers. Ravindra explained his jersey choice, saying, ‘My jersey number is eight, and the significance around it is I’m a big basketball fan, and that was Kobe Bryant’s first number when he first entered the NBA.
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Ravindra cheered for the Black Caps from the India Cricket World Cup team
Ravindra’s father shares a close friendship with the legendary Indian cricketer Javagal Srinath and is the visionary behind the Hutt Hawks Cricket Club in New Zealand. His commitment to nurturing young talent extends beyond borders, as he organizes annual trips to India for the budding cricketers under his wing. In one unforgettable episode during a 2019 excursion to India, Ravindra had the unique experience of watching the Cricket World Cup final between England and New Zealand at a stock exchange bar in Bengaluru.
Reflecting on that remarkable moment, he shared, ‘It is quite a story. My dad takes a bunch of age group boys to India (annually), and we were in Bangalore [as the city was earlier called] on a senior trip. We were watching the final (2019) in a stock exchange bar. I watched the whole final. It was unbelievable and such a rollercoaster experience with the highs and lows of the game. Having Indian Cricket World Cup 2023 team supporters around us was pretty cool. It is an experience I will never forget.
From passionately supporting New Zealand as a fan in India during the Cricket World Cup final to now etching his name with a century on his Cricket World Cup debut for the Black Caps, Ravindra’s journey has been truly remarkable. In a separate cricketing narrative, left-arm wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav sheds light on his transformation in white-ball cricket, particularly in ODIs over the past couple of years.
After a stellar performance of 2 for 42 against India’s Cricket World Cup opener, Kuldeep Yadav has undergone a significant evolution in his bowling style. This transformation has been nothing short of exemplary, and he has taken it up a notch in 2023. Kuldeep boasts an impressive record of 35 wickets in 17 innings this year, with an average of 16.31 and an economy rate of 4.68. In 2023, no other Indian bowler has claimed more wickets, with only Nepal’s Sandeep Lamichhane ahead with 43 scalps. To Read more Netherlands Cricket World Cup Player Bas de Leede Reflects on Cruyff.
Reflecting on his journey, Kuldeep shared, ‘Everyone told me my deliveries required pace, but no one told me how to do it.’ His key emphasis has been on the speed of his deliveries, especially on pitches conducive to spin. As he explained, ‘An important aspect of a turner is the speed at which the ball turns. At times, there are slow turners; important is to vary the pace. It wasn’t a slow turner [in Chennai], but I had to increase the pace of my deliveries. For example, Glenn Maxwell didn’t get time, and if you saw how Smith got bowled (to Jadeja).
Alongside the art of spin, the pace at which deliveries are sent down the pitch has become a pivotal factor in Kuldeep’s bowling success. The turning point in his career occurred following a knee surgery in 2021. During the rehabilitation phase, former India team physio Ashish Kaushik offered a crucial piece of advice: to reduce the pressure on his right leg. This advice appears to have worked wonders for Kuldeep, as he demonstrated in his impressive performance against Australia, claiming 2 for 42 in his ten overs, with both wickets coming at critical junctures.
Cricket World Cup Player Kuldeep Yadav’s Transformation Journey
Reflecting on this transformation, Kuldeep shared, ‘Once I was coming back from injury, it was physio Ashish Kaushik who advised that the load on my right leg should be less. Post-rehab, I implemented that in my training and then in match situations, and I felt the difference. It didn’t happen overnight though. It took around six months to get the rhythm back.
India’s bowling coach, Paras Mhambrey, expressed his satisfaction with Kuldeep’s resurgence in the ODIs this year, emphasizing Kuldeep’s proactive efforts to improve his game. Mhambrey remarked, ‘The credit should be given to Kuldeep for the fact that he’s worked on it. Sometimes when you have a conversation like that with the bowler, you do get a self-realization of what areas you need to work on. He’s worked on certain things, and made those technical changes, and you could see that in his bowling. The speeds have gone up, the lengths and areas have become better, and in that sense, there are a lot of big ticks for us.
Kuldeep’s contributions extend beyond mere statistics, as he brings a unique dimension to the team’s bowling arsenal. While India opted for the spin trio of Ravindra Jadeja, R Ashwin, and Kuldeep in their opening Cricket World Cup fixture, Kuldeep acknowledged that the combination might vary in different venues. He remarked, ‘Not sure about the entire tournament, but over the years, we have seen you can play with three spinners in Chennai. If the other team had three quality spinners, it would have been difficult for us as a batting unit as well. I think Maxwell bowled well but he didn’t have support from the other end.
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