When you’re named after two legends of cricket, as rising Hutt Valley star Rachin Ravindra is, it’s probably little surprise that you grow up with an affinity for the game.
In the interest of being obvious, Rachin’s first name is a fuse between Indian cricket greats Rahul David and Sachin Tendulkar. That wasn’t his Father’s idea, but it’s the name the Kiwi born Indian has and so far the 16-year-old is making good on the path that has been bestowed upon him.
The Hutt International Boys' School (HIBS) opening batsman and left arm orthodox bowler was named New Zealand Cricket’s Young Player of the Year in February, after he hit the headlines for turning out as the youngest member of the New Zealand Under 19’s team at this year’s ICC World Cup in Bangladesh.
So what's his secret?
“I train quite a bit…” he suggests.
“I probably bat for two and a half to three hours a day, probably every day … so yeh it’s pretty full on.”
And that’s in the offseason.
Ravindra goes on to describe his average day.
“I’ll get up at six o’clock in the morning and go to the gym. l’ll leave for school around 7.30, because our train is actually 7:50 from the station. I finish up at school and get home at four and then until 5:30 I sort of do whatever I want. From 5:30 till about 8:30 or 9:00 I’m in the nets.”
A routine he’s followed for the best part of a decade.
What about homework and other normal after school activities?
“I do most of my work in class. It works out quite well, because it gives me time to do whatever I want in the evening - which is play cricket.
“I picked up a bat when I was really young and I just started whacking balls around. I think I just enjoyed it from then on, so it isn’t anything forced, I just took a liking to the game and I like training so it works out quite well,” he says.
His father Ravi is more than your average supportive parent, holding a level-three coaching certificate.
Ravi immigrated to New Zealand almost 20 years ago and single handedly helped grow the Hutt Valley Hawks club from a bunch of friends and acquaintances into a Wellington, and in some cases Central Districts, wide programme.
The programme’s success earned Ravi NZC’s Best Youth Cricket Initiative Award for 2014.
The devoted Father is always on hand at Rachin’s trainings, but it’s not a case of the Father pushing the son according to Rachin.
“Nah, not at all,” he says.
“I give Dad a kick up the bum actually. He’s never forced me into it. I’m always just sort of dragging him to say yeah come to training.
“I think that’s a big thing for me that comes out in the game. I think without doing the hard work, it’s tough to get too far. Some of my reasoning is just work hard and practise and practise and eventually it will come off.”
Watch this space.
