Rachin Ravindra smashed a ‘special’ century in the spin test and screamed with joy

individual Rachin Ravindra is a very emotionless individual. He seldom shows emotion, even when he’s taken a wicket or set a batting milestone. But scoring a century in a Test match in India, one of the hardest venues for a visiting batsman, is no small accomplishment, and Ravindra celebrated in Bengaluru with a first pump and a happy cry.

When asked about his celebrations at the conclusion of the third day’s play, Ravindra said, “Yeah, very, very uncharacteristic,” after his 134 off 157 balls had helped New Zealand establish a 356 lead in the first innings. “I guess hitting an overseas century in India is always nice, but also the context of it when we had lost a few wickets and we built a pretty cool partnership. I don’t know, I don’t do little fist pumps very often.” And that’s special to me.

“I suppose it’s more than simply reaching the goal; I believe it’s being able to achieve it with teammates and without looking back. Well, no, I wouldn’t say it was backs against the wall since we had a sizable advantage, but it certainly meant a lot and it felt great to share it with my friend Timmy [Tim Southee] when the game was close.”

The way that Ravindra played against India’s potent spin trio was the most notable aspect of his century. Ravindra got 101 runs off of 95 balls with spin. He got Kuldeep Yadav for 30 off 21, Ravindra Jadeja for 41 off 39, and R Ashwin for 30 off 35. In India, such hardly ever takes place.

An overseas hitter seldom plays with the sort of strokes that Ravindra, 24, did. Unlike the majority of visiting hitters, he did not use the traditional sweep. Rather, he played the ball late and used his feet to reach the delivery pitch and blast it downtown, displaying the wristy flicks that subcontinent hitters are known for. Four times, Ravindra slog swept across the boundary after pulling out the cross-bat.

“I guess on a wicket like this, you’re able to pick and choose at times because it wasn’t doing too much,” Ravindra said. “There weren’t many devils in it, but overall, I think it’s looking alright. Particularly in Test cricket these days, it seems like you have to keep the team moving ahead and scoring runs at all times.

“It seems normal to see teams all around the globe scoring more runs and doing so at higher rates. Therefore, I believe that all we were doing was pushing it forward and taking use of the choices available to us. However, I believe that we are aware that batting in India becomes easier after you have faced 20, 30, and 40 balls.

“And it’s a field where you can score goals quite rapidly, right? Not too long boundaries, a quick outfield, and a decent batting surface. Thus, by chance, today’s stars aligned.”

It was Ravindra’s second century in Test cricket and his first in Asia with 134. It so happens that his parents were born and raised in Bengaluru. Observing his kid from the stands was his father Ravi Krishnamurthy, who played a respectable game of cricket in the city before relocating to New Zealand in 1997. Ravindra used to spend his vacations visiting his many relatives who now reside in Bengaluru.

Indeed, it is undoubtedly unique, he said. “A large portion of my family is most likely watching the game on TV at home once it’s over at the stadium. It makes me pleased that they can see a relative perform in their hometown since I know they’re so proud of them.

“And my parents would be quite proud of me for that; it’s rather unique for me to be able to perform in their city where they were raised. However, even though I am a true Kiwi, as I often say, it’s good to have that Indian heritage basis here in Bengaluru.”

Additionally, Ravindra shown poise and competence while organizing New Zealand’s subordinates. On the third morning, they had fallen from 193 for 3 to 233 for 7, but he grabbed the lead with Tim Southee in a 137-run partnership off only 132 balls. Ultimately, he was the last hitter to be out.

Prior to the eventual washed-out one-off Test match against Afghanistan in September, Ravindra had trained at the CSK academy in Chennai ahead of New Zealand’s journey to the subcontinent. Since he had participated in the IPL 2024 for the Chennai Super Kings, he was granted access to their amenities.

Regarding his pre-tour practice, Ravindra commented, “Yeah, really invaluable experience.” Before the six subcontinent Tests we played, I suppose I reasoned that it could be ideal for me to go and practice for a few days in a place with somewhat more realistic circumstances than the used wickets in New Zealand, which wouldn’t be as useful.

“And fortunately, I was able to have four or five days of excellent instruction on red soil and black soil wickets after the CSK folks finally figured me out. Thus, I believe it was very helpful and enabled me to kind of solidify certain game plans and focus on a few spots that I want.”

In India, this is Ravindra’s second Test series. When he made his debut here in 2021, he bowled a few overs of left-arm spin with little effect and batted at Nos. 7 and 8. Now that he has changed, he is a different player, and he has given New Zealand a chance to win their first Test match in India since 1988. And if it occurs in Bengaluru, he may be inclined to show a great deal of passion.