New Zealand star Rachin Ravindra reveals why this ‘home’ Test match in Bangalore is special for him

New Zealand star Rachin Ravindra reveals why this ‘home’ Test match in Bangalore is special for him

Photo: AP

India will face New Zealand in the 1st Test match at bangalore on October 16. Rohit Sharma’s men will look to pick up from where they left off against Bangladesh.

India have been a dominant force on home soil and the Kiwis will be put through a sour test. New Zealand suffered a 2-0 defeat by Sri Lanka recently and the Kiwis will be eager to prove their credentials against India.

New Zealand are currently sixth in the World Test Championship and would certainly fancy their chances. One player who will be focused is Rachin Ravindra. The left-handed batsman has been one of New Zealand’s best batsmen and will have an added responsibility in this upcoming series.

This Test match in Bengaluru will be special for Rachin as the 24-year-old has Indian roots. Her parents Ravi Krishnamurthy and Deepa hail from the city while her grandparents are still settled in the Karnataka capital.

As quoted by PTI, he said, “It’s a different thing to play a Test match. You’re here for five days and it’s a tradition, you know, Test cricket is the pinnacle. I guess it makes it very important because of the connection familiar

“There’s going to be a bunch of them in the crowd and I know dad’s going to be here watching. So those moments, you know, you pinch yourself on the ride and that’s definitely one of them,” Ravindra said.

He added: “I’m born and bred in Wellington, you know, I’m a Kiwi through and through. So for me it’s amazing and I’m very proud of my Indian heritage and to be able to play wherever base much of my family is something quite special.

“Yeah, I think it’s great. Obviously, when I was here last time, I guess it was the IPL, and before that it was the ODI World Cup. So, two really cool experiences to have, to be a part of two very good teams and to have these experiences.