- The man who took down England at last year’s World Cup and led a famous victory in India is gearing up to face England on Wednesday
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New Zealand’s batting wunderkind Rachin Ravindra has spoken of his admiration for England coach Brendon McCullum — and admitted his childhood memories of watching him bat leave him starstruck.
It is a decade since the 14-year-old Ravindra was among thousands of fans cheering McCullum on to New Zealand’s first triple century at Wellington’s Basin Reserve. Now he is one of the wickets England will crave most as they look to bounce back from their series defeat in Pakistan.
‘I watched Baz growing up on TV a lot, so it’s quite interesting to come up against him now,’ Ravindra tells Mail Sport ahead of tomorrow night’s first Test at Christchurch. ‘I was there in my school uniform when he made his triple hundred (against India) at the Basin. He was 280-odd overnight and the atmosphere next morning was amazing.
‘There was also his innings against England in the 2015 World Cup, and I also remember him running at South Africa’s Dale Steyn in that tournament bowling 140kmh (87mph). He’s a legend for New Zealand cricket, so I’ll always be a little bit starstruck.
‘Everyone here talks about what a fearless leader he was, and as a cricket fan it’s cool to see how he’s transformed the England team.’
The rise of Ravindra — whose first name is a mix of Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar, two of his Indian father’s favourite players — is one of the most captivating stories in international cricket. And England have already had a taste of the 25-year-old’s elegant but destructive left-handed batting.
New Zealand’s batting superstar Rachin Ravindra (above) opened up exclusively to Mail Sport on his admiration for England head coach and former Black Caps legend Brendon McCullum
McCullum was an explosive batter during his playing days and has since reformed England
England Test captain Ben Stokes (right) and McCullum have committed to an aggressive style
It was Ravindra’s classy, unbeaten 123 from just 96 balls that helped condemn them to a nine-wicket defeat in the opening game of the 50-over World Cup just over a year ago in Ahmedabad — a result from which Jos Buttler’s team never recovered.
His Test batting, meanwhile, has entered a new phase since his return to the side in February following a two-year absence. He marked his comeback with 240 against South Africa at Mount Maunganui and more recently made a sparkling 134 as New Zealand embarked on their sensational 3-0 win in India. None of his compatriots have scored more than his 855 Test runs in 2024.
That second hundred came in Bangalore, where most of his extended family live. ‘I had my grandparents, an auntie and uncle, cousins there watching,’ he says. ‘I’m sure a lot of dad’s mates were there, too.’
So are there mixed loyalties? ‘Definitely. Before the World Cup semi-final in Mumbai last year, my grandad said, “I want Rachin to score runs, but I want India to win”.’ Ravindra made 13 that day, and New Zealand lost — but it took his tournament tally to 578, with three centuries. Only Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Quinton de Kock outscored him. Perhaps it was no surprise that he did so well in India.
After emigrating from Bangalore, Ravindra’s dad, Ravi, formed the Hutt Hawks club in Wellington, and still organises cricket tours back to his homeland.
It was on those trips, from the age of 10, that Ravindra learned to play spin. An innings of 92 against Sri Lanka on a turning track at Galle in September, when no team-mate passed 30, was a case in point.
Now he is hoping that New Zealand’s triumph in India, where they became the first visiting side to win a Test series since Alastair Cook’s England 12 years ago, will spill over into the three-match series against Ben Stokes’s team in Christchurch, Wellington and Hamilton.
‘The confidence of beating India at home, especially three Tests on the bounce and in some testing conditions, goes a long way,’ he says.
The batter, who says he was ‘starstruck’ by McCullum as a child, will want to impress his idol when New Zealand host England for a three Test series this winter, starting on Wednesday
Ravindra knocked an impressive century against England during the 2023 ODI World Cup
But he admits the New Zealanders had to pinch themselves as the series progressed. ‘When we won the second Test, it was like, OK, we’ve won the series — this is getting a bit weird. Then the third game on an absolute ragger, you win that, too. The most pleasing thing was the contributions across the board.’
All the while, Ravindra has kept an approving eye on Bazball. ‘As a cricket fan, I enjoy it,’ he says. ‘Whenever England play a Test, I’m excited to watch them bat. It makes you think about your own game as well, which is quite cool.
‘They’re a tough team and they’re going to come in hot. That’s the way they play. It’s good for Test cricket.’