From plastic balls to professional prowess, Rachin Ravindra’s story

New Zealand’s rising all-rounder, Rachin Ravindra, said that he picked up cricket naturally because of his father’s love for it. Ravindra emerged as one of the biggest stars of the recently concluded ICC Cricket World Cup 2023, ending as the fourth-highest run-getter with 578 runs in 10 matches at an average of 106.44, with three centuries and two fifties.
In an interview, Rachin said that his dad used to play club cricket, and the sport was always around his house in some way or another, causing him to pick the game naturally as a child. He recalled practicing with his parents using a plastic ball. “I think so (if he picked cricket because of his father). Dad played club cricket; he watched a lot of cricket and played it on the PlayStation as well. It was always on around the house all the time. Naturally, I picked it up. Mom and Dad would always throw me plastic balls. I always wanted to bat or bowl. It has accumulated to where I am today. They never forced me to play cricket at all. It happened naturally. I really enjoyed playing cricket with my friends. I enjoyed going to the nets every day, hitting and bowling balls. I guess that’s how it happened,” said Rachin.