Blackcaps start off ominously at the First Test against India
Auckland, December 1, 2021
He did not score a lot of runs and did not take any wickets, but Rachin Ravindra has shown that he might just have what it takes to be a Test Cricketer.
The 22-year old batsman was one of the Black Caps heroes on the final day of the First Test against India in Kanpur.
The Wellingtonian was at the crease for 90 minutes and faced 91 balls for his unbeaten 18, which helped the tourists to an unlikely draw.
New Zealand in tatters
Chasing 284 for victory on a final day surface, New Zealand was in tatters at 155-9 with at least eight overs to go and the light steadily fading at Kanpur’s Green Park Stadium. The last batting pair of Ravindra and Ajaz Patel faced relentless spin from both ends with a shoal of close-in fielders around the bat but managed to survive the last 52 balls to deny India.
“It was an incredible moment with the crowd and with all the fieldsmen around the bat, it was the stuff you dream about as a child. You watch Test Cricket during your formative years and that is when your heroes. That is the moment I will never forget,” Ravindra said.
He said that he was comfortable during the closing stages of the Test.
The batsman’s routine
“As a batsman, I knew the routine, that was what I learnt during my training. Everything helped. It was good to be there at the end with Patel, a player I have known for five years and played with and against,” he said.
Ravindra said that it was ‘cool’ to have him at the Test.
“It was great just talk about things, lean on each other and since he has been my mentor, especially as a bowler, he helped me a lot. It was amazing to share that moment,” he said.
In the closing stages, India deployed seven fielders around the wicket but were still thwarted by the over-my-body defiance of Ravindra and Patel.
An Allrounder
Ravindra faced 91 balls for his 18 not out, while Patel survived 23 balls to stay unbeaten on two. To his relief, the game finished 12 minutes early with bad light stopping play with New Zealand on 165-9.
“I was trying not to look at the scoreboard but at the same time wanted to find out how many overs to go. I was just thinking ball after ball and trying to forget about all the external factors, but it was definitely a big relief seeing everyone high-fiving each other and seeing how happy everyone was pretty cool,” Ravindra said.
In this test Ravindra had scores of 13 and 18 and bowled 16 overs of spin.
He batting average is 39 Runs in First Class Cricket.
Blackcaps Captain Kane Williamson said that Ravindra certainly filled the allrounders role for them in this Test.
“He generally bats at the top of the order And hence having him in the side certainly helped to strengthen the batting and he also bowled some valuable overs. It was an amazing experience to have in him in the First Test Match and to be there at the end is certainly something that he will remember for a long time,” he said.
Ravindra said that the team can be proud of the result after the position in which they were placed. It also sets them well for the Second Test starting in Mumbai on Friday, December 3.
“Not many teams lose the toss and are able to steal a draw and so we stay level and go to the next test match and hopefully pull out a win,” Williamson said.
Reuters adds:
Debutant Rachin Ravindra and number 11 batsman Ajaz Patel combined in a stunning rear-guard to secure the Black Caps a thrilling draw in the opening test against India.
Their last batting pair faced relentless spin from both ends with a shoal of close-in fielders around the bat but managed to survive the last 52 balls to deny India.
New Zealand finished on 165-9 when bad light stopped play.
“I suppose the beauty of Test Cricket really, where there can be a lot of excitement,” New Zealand Captain Kane Williamson said of what he called “an exciting day.”
Draw, the next best option
“Obviously, when a win was out of the question, a draw is the next best option to try and fight, and there was a lot of effort going into trying to achieve that. Rachin, in his first Test Match and Ajaz as well showed a lot of character to bat those few overs there against high-quality, world class spin as the light was dimming,” Williamson said.
After a wicketless morning session, seamer Umesh Yadav struck with the first ball during the post-lunch period to break the 76-run stand between overnight batsmen Will Somerville and Tom Latham.
Somerville had walked out as Nightwatchman after Will Young’s late dismissal on Sunday but played like a specialist batsman for his 36 off 110 balls.
His dismissal opened the floodgates for India’s three-pronged spin attack.
The last day details
Ravichandran Ashwin (3-35) cut short Latham’s industrious knock of 52 and Ravindra Jadeja (4-40) dismissed veteran Ross Taylor on the stroke of tea.
The onus was on Williamson to save the match but the New Zealand Captain fell for 24, trapped leg before by a Jadeja delivery that kept low.
Although wickets kept tumbling, time was also running out for India as the on-field umpires kept checking the light-meter readings.
-Published under a Special Agreement with www.rnz.co.nz
