5 October - Ahmedabad - New Zealand player Rachin Ravindra post-match press conference
[Reporter:]
Well played, Rachin. This is your first International hundred. Talk to us about the feeling of it, mate.
[Rachin Ravindra:]
Yeah, I think the first one, I guess everyone says, is pretty special. It was pretty cool to be able to share that with Devon, my sort of good mate. But yeah, it was a good game for us as a team, as a whole.
[Reporter:]
Can you also talk to us about the 273-run partnership with your good mate from Wellington, Devon Conway?
[Rachin Ravindra:]
Yeah, Dev's an absolutely incredible and special player. I think being able to share the pitch with him was pretty cool. I think just demonstrated his class throughout his knock. I think some of the shots he was hitting put that wow look on your face. It was just pretty cool to be able to share that with him, the guy I guess I've spent a lot of time with over the last sort of five, six years and seeing how he's risen to one of the best batters in the world. It's pretty cool to share that milestone with him.
[Reporter:]
Your story is well documented, you know, the kid who used to play for Hutt International Boys School in Wellington, and that journey has been well documented right throughout. How proud are you of scoring that first international hundred in India, where you have roots?
[Rachin Ravindra:]
Yeah, I think a hundred is always special, but I guess in terms of being able to perform in India is pretty cool. I think, like you said, it's cool to have the Indian roots. It was nice to have my parents there watching and they flew over from New Zealand. So, it’s cool to have that moment and obviously it's always nice coming to India I have a sense of family connection whenever I'm in Bangalore and being able to see my grandparents and stuff so yeah, it's pretty cool.
[Reporter:]
Last two from me, can you talk to us about the bowling effort because was there a feeling during the break that you had managed to restrict them to a total which was less than what they were looking at getting at one stage?
[Rachin Ravindra:]
For sure. I think the boys bowled tremendously well. I think it shows how cool it is to have such world-class bowlers on your team. I think the way Santner bowled and Boultie and Henry – I could say that for everyone really. The way we took wickets in timely times, I think that was the beauty of it. There was times where they looked like they built a partnership and then we'd get a wicket, which was cool. I think restricting them to 280 on that surface was pretty cool.
[Reporter:]
And last one, has Glenn Phillips stopped talking about his two wickets?
[Rachin Ravindra:]
No, Glenn deserves every over he gets at this point. He's put in a lot of work on his bowling and it sort of seems like he's a golden arm at the moment. Every time he gets an opportunity, he manages to do something special in the field or with the ball. So, I think it's awesome how he's brought his game along.
[Reporter:]
What did you talk about during the course of the innings, especially when you were reaching the hundred marks?
[Rachin Ravindra:]
I think it was just trying to keep it pretty simple. I think the way me and Dev sort of go about it is being able to check in with each other ball after ball and making sure what's important stays important - the process and your routines as opposed to just blindly trying to take someone down or do something rash I think which is quite cool being able to share that same process with Dev.
[Reporter:]
Rachin, were you always going to bat higher up the order or was it just a situational thing? You opened against Pakistan in the warm-up match and then today at number three.
[Rachin Ravindra:]
Yeah, I think I'm pretty lucky that I was able to get the chance to bat at three. I've opened the banning for my domestic team. So, it's pretty cool to get given the opportunity and Young, he sort of had a rest after a busy Bangladesh tour for him. So, it was nice to get that opportunity in that game and for the first one too. So it’s somewhere I'm familiar batting, and I really enjoy batting at the top too. It's being able to play cricket shots, but hey, there's still a long road ahead. I hope we can continue it.
[Reporter:]
Right. Are you OK with part-time spinner as your description, your job description?
[Rachin Ravindra:]
That's fine. I think anything that helps out the team. Obviously, the sort of player I am, I want to be a genuine all-rounder and hopefully continue being a genuine all-rounder in the future. But I'm just happy with whatever label’s put on.
[Reporter:]
So, it's fair to say that you went in with four part-time spinners and you would have known that you had a big role to play so like what was the plan when you started out your spell?
[Rachin Ravindra:]
Yeah, I think I was just trying to get into the game and I think we're lucky enough to have played these guys in an ODI series before, so a bit of familiarity in terms of bowling to the guys we had before.
So, I think, yeah, you always want to make your mark on the game. Probably didn't come out as well as I would have wanted today, but look, that's the beauty of cricket. I think some days you have great days, some days you don't. So, we'll look at it and review it and hopefully go back again next game.
[Reporter:]
Do you work with any of the bowlers specifically on your bowling skills, maybe Mitch or someone?
[Rachin Ravindra:]
Yeah, I work very closely with [Santner] and Ish [Sodhi], I think those two are incredible bowlers, obviously GP as well, but being able to lean on those guys is pretty cool. I think Santner is a world-class spin bowler and obviously Ish is a very, very close mate of mine, so we're able to talk a lot of cricket. And I guess any sort of information or experience I can take from those boys who've played international cricket for a very long time is pretty cool.
[Reporter:]
Rachin, was it a case that if Kane Williamson was fit you may or may not have played, there was no guarantee?
[Rachin Ravindra:]
I don't know, I guess whatever happened would happen. I guess he is unfit so luckily enough, I got an opportunity. But hey, I guess we'll see with time to come. Obviously, Kane's a massive part of this team. And I'm sure everyone can't wait to have him back.
[Reporter:]
And secondly, you are an Indian Kiwi and Devon is a South African Kiwi. Both of you have won the match for your adopted country. Was there extra satisfaction in that?
[Rachin Ravindra:]
Well, I guess we're both sort of Kiwis now. I was born in New Zealand and since my family's from India, yeah, but I completely see myself as Kiwi and obviously very proud of my roots and my ethnicity, but I think Devon would be the same, same to say. I think he's sort of adopted New Zealand as his home for the last five, six years and I'd say he's completely Kiwi. So, I mean, being able to win a game for your nation is always special.
[Reporter:]
Rachin, I understand that you've been named after Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid. So, are you sort of idolizing them or being a left-hander - Is there somebody that you've grown up watching and sort of copying his style?
[Rachin Ravindra:]
Yeah, I think those two are pretty special cricketers. Obviously, I've heard a lot of stories and watched a lot of footage and I guess the influence from my parents and my dad sort of and the old-school Indian cricketers was pretty cool. Being able to watch a lot of their highlights and stuff. Obviously, I idolized Sachin Tendulkar. I think a lot of people did. I think the way he batted and his technique was beautiful to watch. I guess being lefty, there's guys you look at, I love Lara, I love Sangakkara, just the usual gun left-handers, but Tendulkar was definitely the idol.
[Reporter:]
Could you tell us when you found out that you were batting at number three and what the message was from the coaching staff or whoever told you? I guess with quite a long batting lineup, it looked like you were empowered to go pretty hard.
[Rachin Ravindra:]
Yeah, that was an interesting one when Gary told me. I guess I wasn't necessarily expecting it as much just because we bat seriously low with [Santner] at number nine and he's a genuine all-rounder. So, I guess it gave that license to go out and express yourself, I think but I mean we did it in our way luckily enough and it worked on the day, but that's the thing - It's a bit familiar being able to be at the top and I guess when you've done it for a while for Wellington, it feels at home.
