The last time Rachin Ravindra came to India for a Test series in 2021, his primary role was that of a left-arm spinner and a handy lower-order bat. But in the last year, the 24-year-old has revelled as a top-order batter and is now an all-format player for his country. He had a breakthrough ODI World Cup in 2023, where he scored 578 runs and won the ICC Emerging Player of the Year award.
Earlier this year, he slammed his maiden Test ton, making 240 while batting at four against South Africa in Mount Maunganui.
Over the next two months, as New Zealand prepare to play six Tests in the subcontinent (one against Afghanistan, two in Sri Lanka and three in India), Ravindra will be a vital player for the Black Caps.
As part of his preparations, the Southpaw is now in Chennai alongside his teammate and pacer Ben Sears to train at the Chennai Super Kings’ High-Performance Centre.
“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,” said Ravindra, who played for CSK in the IPL this year.
Following his exploits in the ODI World Cup, Ravindra was also part of the T20 World Cup earlier this year and is blossoming into an all-format player. | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
Commenting on the technical changes he wants to work on ahead of the Tests, he said, “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.”
Following his exploits in the ODI World Cup, Ravindra was also part of the T20 World Cup earlier this year and is blossoming into an all-format player. “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 added.
“There are all these different formats of cricket, and there is a lot of cricket now, so there are opportunities to get better and surround yourself with good people. Hopefully, I can keep contributing to the teams I play for,” the allrounder said.
Here in Chennai, Ravindra is training under Sriram Krishnamurthy (Head coach of the Super Kings Academy), someone he has known since his junior days when the latter worked for Wellington and then New Zealand A. “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.”
“I feel like I’m still learning a lot from him, and he’s one of those guys that you’re not just going to pop up anywhere and have a conversation. He is going to talk to you throughout the year, and he’s going to check in with you, which I think is quite cool. He has always known my cricket well and knows it almost as well as I do now,” explained Ravindra.
Here in Chennai, Ravindra is training under Sriram Krishnamurthy (left) (Head coach of the Super Kings Academy), someone he has known since his junior days when the latter worked for Wellington and then New Zealand A. | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
Though he did not have a great IPL for CSK, Ravindra was grateful to train at the team’s facility and spoke about 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.”
In 2021, Ravindra, on his debut, helped save the first Test in Kanpur by keeping the Indian spinners at bay during his last-wicket partnership alongside Ajaz Patel. He now hopes to use that experience during the series against India in October to give the hosts 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.
“I think you take confidence from past experiences and performances. It was cool to be able to do that in my debut Test. It was a difficult little period, and to be able to share that moment with (Ajaz) as well was cool. I think you take those learnings, and I’m in a different role now, so things might look slightly different,” he added.
In 2021, Ravindra, on his debut, helped save the first Test in Kanpur by keeping the Indian spinners at bay during his last-wicket partnership alongside Ajaz Patel. | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
New Zealand has had a golden period over the last decade, winning the WTC in 2021 and consistently being at the business end of major ICC events. As some of the big stars are nearing the end of their careers, the team is going through a transition. Some seniors, including Kane Williamson and Trent Boult, have opted out of the national contract to be able to participate in more T20 leagues.
When asked about it, Ravindra expressed hope that the strong domestic structure can help the side handle the transition period 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,” said Ravindra.
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