Rachin becomes 1st New Zealand batter in 12 years to score Test ton in India

Bengaluru’s ‘Local boy’ Rachin Ravindra continued his love-affair with M Chinnaswamy Stadium as he notched up his maiden hundred against India during Day 3 of the 1st Test. This was the first hundred by a New Zealand batter in 12 years in the Test format. The Bengaluru-origin batter from Wellington looked ‘at home’ as he notched up his 2nd Test hundred. Ravindra shared a crucial partnership with Tim Southee as the duo took New Zealand’s lead past 250. As New Zealand’s attack continued, India conceded the biggest first innings lead since 2013 at home.
Ross Taylor was the last batter to notch up a Test hundred in India with his 113-run knock and coincidentally, that Test also happened in Bengaluru. Rachin played some glorious shots and took on the likes of Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja. He looked well in control of his shots and reached the three-figure mark with a boundary and basked in all the applause by taking out his helmet. After all, it was a special one as it came in front of his family, at a place where he has roots. He came in at a stage where he had to push his side ahead, and went on to put them in full control. He started with great footwork. Used depth of the crease and middled most of his shots to notch up a brilliant hundred and became the 18th Kiwi player to score a hundred in India.
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However, this was not the first time that Rachin scored a hundred at M Chinnaswamy Stadium. The New Zealand batter has fond memories of playing at the venue, as he scored a blazing hundred against Pakistan during the ODI World Cup 2023. After an ODI hundred, Rachin ensured to make the opportunity count yet again and slammed a Test ton.
Rachin, alongside Tim Southee, took the game away from India after they were having a brilliant morning session with three wickets. Before lunch, the duo recorded the second-fastest century stand in Tests against India.