Bengaluru (Karnataka): Young Rachin Ravindra, who was named by his father batting greats Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid, surpassed Sachin Tendulkar's record for most hundreds in a single edition of the World Cup before turning 25.
23-year-old Indian-origin Rachin Ravindra smashed his third century in the ongoing ICC Cricket World Cup. He hammered 108 off 94 balls, which propelled the Kiwis to post a mammoth 401/6. Ravindra surpassed Tendulkar's record for most hundreds in a single edition of the World Cup.
Now, Rachin Ravindra, who had slammed hundreds against England and Australia earlier in the marquee tournament, is in second place in the list of most runs in the maiden World Cup. Ravindra has 523 runs in eight innings, and England's Jonny Bairstow sits on the top with 532 runs in the 2019 edition of the marquee tournament.
He equaled cricketing icon Sachin Tendulkar's record for most runs in a single World Cup edition before turning 25. Both the batters now have identical 523 runs in a single edition of the World Cup. Sachin Tendulkar achieved it in the 1996 edition.
The third hundred by Rachin Ravindra in the ongoing World Cup is the most by a batter in their debut World Cup edition. The third century by Rachin in the ODI World Cup is the most by a New Zealand batter. Six New Zealand players have two centuries each in the World Cups.
Rachin made his ODI debut against Sri Lanka at Auckland at March 25, 2023. He parents stayed in Bengaluru before migrating to New Zealand. The hundred on Saturday will have a special place in his heart as his family has strong roots in Bengaluru. His father Ravi Krishnamurthy was an avid cricket fan and himself a club-level player in Bengaluru before moving to New Zealand.
His grandparents Balakrishna Adiga, the noted educationist, and Poornima Adiga live in South Bengaluru and they were in the stands on this day to watch Ravindra giving a manifestation of his talent. "We are thrilled to see him getting the hundred. It was a surreal experience for us to listen to the crowd chanting his name," a delighted Balakrishna was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.
Poornima was equally elated. "His father was also a cricket buff and so it was not very surprising for us that Rachin took to cricket from a very young age. His father was very supportive of him. The only regret for us is that Rachin has not been able to spend a lot of time with us because of his national duties. But hopefully soon," Poornima was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.
In fact, Krishnamurthy had established the Hawks Club in Wellington out of his passion and that now has some prominent players like Ben Sears, who has played six T20Is for New Zealand. Ravindra, though, remains the most high-profile player of the small-time club, and he made extensive trips to this part of the world playing matches in Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Chennai, besides in some North Indian venues. By the evidence, those teenage tours have done wonders in his development as a player.
- *Most runs in their maiden World Cup edition
532 - Jonny Bairstow in 2019 (11 inns)
523 - Rachin Ravindra in 2023 (8 inns)
474 - Babar Azam in 2019 (8 inns)
465 - Ben Stokes in 2019 (10 inns) - *Most runs in a single WC edition before turning 25
523 - Rachin Ravindra in 2023*
523 - Sachin Tendulkar in 1996
474 - Babar Azam in 2019
372 - AB de Villiers in 2007 - *Most World Cup hundreds before turning 25
3 - Rachin Ravindra (at 23y, 351 days)
2 - Sachin Tendulkar (at 22y, 313d)
*Most hundreds in a single WC edition for New Zealand
3 - Rachin Ravindra in 2023*
2 - Glenn Turner in 1975
2 - Martin Guptill in 2015
2 - Kane Williamson in 2019
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