The Indian head coach, Rahul Dravid, known for his understated sense of humor, recently indulged in some lighthearted banter about the batting prowess of New Zealand’s emerging star, Rachin Ravindra. Ravindra, who made waves with a scintillating century in the opening World Cup game against England, happens to share his name’s “Ra” from Rahul and “chin” from Sachin.

In jest, Rahul Dravid humorously remarked, “Watching him bat yesterday, he hit five sixes… Maybe it was more ‘chin’ that was there. Not sure, I hit the ball off the square at all. I couldn’t hit the ball off the square at all. Maybe the Sachin in it helped him certainly.” Dravid’s ability to laugh at himself and make others laugh was on full display.

Despite the humor, Rahul Dravid was genuinely impressed by Ravindra’s innings.

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He commented, “Yeah, bits and pieces of it. I thought both of them played really well. Obviously got New Zealand off to a really flying start in the tournament and looked like the wicket really became a good one as the game went on. And yeah, both of them batted really well.”

Rahul Dravid also recalled a Test match encounter with Ravindra in Kanpur in 2021, where the young cricketer, although a tail-ender, batted for nearly an hour and a half to secure a draw for his team. Dravid admiringly mentioned, “Yeah, I think he played a Test match against us in Kanpur, and I do remember him because he saved the Test match.”

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This exchange showcased Dravid’s ability to appreciate emerging talent and maintain a good sense of humor about the game. Ravindra’s impressive batting performance, influenced by both “Ra” and “chin,” certainly left an impact, and the cricketing world will be eager to see more of his talent in the future.