Top-order batter Rachin Ravindra was relieved after New Zealand managed to bag the big wicket of Virat Kohli off the final ball of the third day, and hoped the bowlers will keep piling pressure on India on Saturday. Kohli (70) and Sarfaraz Khan (70 not out) added 136 runs for the third wicket to take India to 231 for three at stumps in the opening Test. But the former Indian skipper fell to Glenn Phillips, edging him to stumper Tom Blundell to bring some respite to the visitors.
“It’s pretty hard to crystal-ball gaze into the future. It’s a quality batting line-up on a wicket that’s not doing too much, so it’s important for us to hold our lines and lengths and do that for long periods. But I think Kohli’s wicket at the end was very important,” Ravindra told reporters during the post-day press meet.
“Obviously, he’s a guy who has scored 9,000-plus Test runs, which is pretty mind-blowing, but for us it was a huge wicket. We know things happen quickly in this part of the world, so, hopefully, we can stick at it and get a few wickets in the morning,” he added.
New Zealand are still ahead by 125 runs, and Ravindra played his own part in that by cracking his second Test hundred, a classy 134.
The 24-year-old was understandably elated, and said the pre-tour training stint he had at the Chennai Super Kings Academy vastly benefitted him.
“It was an extremely invaluable experience. Before the six Tests in subcontinent, I thought maybe it would be the best thing for me to go and have a few days training there. A bit more realistic conditions than what we’d — doctored, used wickets — in New Zealand, which, you know, wouldn’t serve the same purpose.
“The CSK guys really sorted me out and I was able to have four or five days really good training on red soil and black soil wickets. So, that helped me shore up game plans and work on a few positions that I wanted to,” he detailed.
This was his second hundred at Bengaluru after making a ton against Pakistan during last year’s ODI World Cup.
But this time, the occasion was dearer to him because of the presence of his family, including his father, Ravi Krishnamoorthy.
“Obviously, having my dad in the crowd is massive. A lot of family who are watching the game, probably at the stadium and then at home on TV. I know they’re very, very proud and it makes me happy. I know dad and mum would be very, very proud of that.
“Me being able to play in their hometown where they grew up is pretty special. Like I always say, I’m fully Kiwi, 100% Kiwi, but it’s nice to have that Indian heritage base here in Bengaluru,” he noted.
Ravindra was also pleased with his fine effort against dreaded India spin duo of Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja along with left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav.
“Kuldeep, Ashwin, Jadeja, obviously three guys have taken a lot of Test wickets between them. I think it’s a balance of attack and defence, but I think mainly if you can trust your defence, you can do that for a long period of time.
“Having Timmy (Southee) out there was great too. We were able to build a nice little partnership and frustrate them a little bit. But yeah, I guess it was just having that positive mindset.
“I don’t know how many balls, maybe 50, 60, 70 balls were sort of ticking along. And then once we decided, all right, let’s show some intent here, I was able to open up the ground a little bit more.
“And obviously it’s a ground where you can score quite quickly, right? Shortish boundaries, fast outfield, pretty good wicket to bat on,” he added.
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