Rachin Ravindra on Monday (October 14) said that countering the threat posed by senior spinners Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja will be key to New Zealand’s success in the three-match Test series against India.
Ashwin and Jadeja together have claimed over 800 Test scalps, and are among the most experienced bowling pairs in world cricket at present.
“They’ve got consistent bowlers who bowl in an area for a long period of time. I mean, you see the two spinners who play consistently, Ashwin and Jadeja, they’re two very accomplished bowlers. You know, they can bat too, which makes it a little bit hard,” Ravindra told reporters two days ahead of the opening Test against India.
“They’re consistent, they’re good to battle, especially in this part of the world. Obviously, we know how good India are in their own conditions, the quality of their bowlers and batters. It shows how hard it is for a team to come and win here. So, it’s difficult,” he added.
The southpaw is banking on his previous experience of playing cricket in India to come good in the upcoming Test series.
Ravindra caught the imagination of the cricketing world with his brilliance during last year’s ODI World Cup in India and then played for Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the IPL 2024 season.
“Although it is different formats, it gives you confidence that you can perform in this part of the world. I think it’s (Test cricket) a different challenge entirely and it’s something I’m really looking forward to.
“As you’ve seen, those two tournaments (ODI WC and IPL) were amazing, the crowds and the passion and the hype and the buzz around them. So, I’m excited to have a full-fledged series here,” he remarked.
From a team perspective, the 24-year-old said the tourists will have to keep focus on their game plans rather than worrying about India’s approach.
“The brand of cricket they play is very positive, especially in their own conditions. The way they’ve evolved over the last few years has been amazing, especially away (from home).
“As New Zealanders, we don’t necessarily try and look at the opposition too much. We know what a quality side they are and what they bring to the table, but I think if we’re able to play our game and be consistent and put our best foot forward, hopefully, that will result in a win,” he stated.
New Zealand have come to India on the back of a 2-0 Test series whitewash in Sri Lanka. However, Ravindra was confident that the team can learn from those experiences against India.
“We did some really good stuff during the Sri Lankan series, obviously, came on the wrong side of the win and loss column. But I think as a group there were times where we really pushed and that first Test was close,” he said.
In the first Test against Sri Lanka at Galle, Rachin Ravindra played a brilliant knock of 92 but the Kiwis fell 63 runs short while chasing 275. The left-hander wanted his side not to repeat the mistake of faltering at crunch moments.
“I think we’ve got to understand that we’ve got to do it (fighting) for long periods of time because that’s what Test match cricket is about. Obviously, Sri Lanka and India are different places, but similar in terms of the amount of spin you might play.
“So, we have learnt a lot. So, it’s about, you know, seeing how we can play our game and how we can bring that here to India,” he concluded.
(With PTI Inputs)
