Rachin Ravindra, a young cricketer from New Zealand, made a remarkable start to the ODI Cricket World Cup 2023 as he smashed his first-ever century against defending champions England. Playing in Ahmedabad on Thursday, the 23-year-old was sent to bat at No.3 in the absence of Kane Williamson and went on to score an unbeaten 123 off just 93 balls, leading his team to a sensational victory. Partnering with Devon Conway, Ravindra dominated the game, leaving no chance for England to mount a comeback. With this impressive performance, New Zealand began their World Cup campaign on a high note.
Interestingly, Ravindra’s parents have Indian origins, and his name is a blend of two legendary Indian cricketers, Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid. Rahul Dravid, the coach of the Indian cricket team, is known for his sense of humor. Jokingly, Dravid remarked that Ravindra’s batting style seems to have more influence from Tendulkar than himself. Acknowledging his own lesser impact, Dravid humorously quipped, “Watching him bat yesterday, he hit five sixes… Maybe it was more ‘chin’ that was there. Not sure, I hit the ball off the square at all. I couldn’t hit the ball off the square at all. Maybe the Sachin in it helped him certainly.”
Dravid further praised Ravindra’s performance, stating that he watched bits and pieces of his innings and was highly impressed with both Ravindra and Conway’s batting. He highlighted how Ravindra had earlier played a Test match against India in Kanpur in 2021, where he batted for almost an hour and a half to save the game on a slow turner. Dravid remembered this match and expressed admiration for Ravindra’s resilience.
Under the guidance of Rahul Dravid, the Indian cricket team is gearing up for their first match of the Cricket World Cup 2023 against Australia on Sunday.