In the first match of the World Cup, Rachin Ravindra made a striking impression. The New Zealand-born batsman, who traces his roots to India, played a magnificent innings of 123 runs against current champions England in that match. He also bowled and took 1 wicket. It was a standout performance, bringing Rachin into discussions once again early in this World Cup.
The explanation behind Rachin’s name is quite fascinating. Previously, it was mentioned that his name was derived from the names of two iconic Indian cricketers, Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar. However, in a recent interview, Rachin’s father has stated otherwise. His claim is that Rachin’s name was not derived from the names of the two Indian cricketers.
Rachin himself had previously explained the significance of his name. In an interview, he mentioned, “My parents liked Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar. They liked their names. ‘Ra’ from Rahul and ‘chin’ from Sachin.” He further added that their influence on Indian cricket made his parents feel fortunate to name their child after them.
Even after the England match in the World Cup, Rachin has spoken about the same subject. At 23 years old, he said, “They (Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar) are two special cricketers. I have heard many stories about them and seen a lot of their playing footage. The impact of my parents and these two Indian cricketers’ influence on cricket has been heartening.”
Rachin has chosen his ideal cricketers from between these two icons. “Since I’ve watched a lot of footage, I’ve idealized Sachin Tendulkar. Being a left-handed batsman, others have also followed him. I love Brian Lara and Kumar Sangakkara too.”
After the first match in the World Cup, Rachin has not diverted from the spotlight. At the end of the league stage, he has scored 565 runs in 9 matches with an average of 70.62. He currently stands at number 3 in the list of highest run-scorers in the tournament. His role in New Zealand’s semi-final appearance was significant. However, discussions about Rachin’s name have surfaced again before the semi-final against India.
His father, Ravi Krishnamurthy, commented to an Indian media outlet, saying, “When Rachin was born, my wife suggested this name. We didn’t have much conversation about it.”
Regarding the name chosen for his son, Ravi Krishnamurthy further explained, “We liked the name when we heard it. It’s simple and small. We did not intend to name him after Rahul or Sachin, although after a few years, we did feel a mix of Rahul and Sachin in the name.”
Rachin has proven himself as a potential star in the World Cup. Even without being from India by birth, he has garnered tremendous support from Indian fans, which has been overwhelming for him. Recently, Rachin expressed, “The experience has been quite amazing. I never thought fans would create slogans around my name.”
If New Zealand wins the next two matches and clinches the trophy, Rachin’s imagination might transcend all limits. Despite that, welcoming fans might justifiably hold Rachin in a bit more esteem! That’s how the view of India’s third World Cup might change dramatically.
