For Rachin Ravindra, the year 2023 was truly magnificent. It was the year where he made his One Day International (ODI) debut, and since then, his entire story has changed. Today, his name is being associated with some of the biggest players in the cricket world. In this sequence, the International Cricket Council (ICC) has honored him with the ICC Men’s Emerging Cricketer of the Year 2023 award. So, let’s delve into the details and learn more about Rachin Ravindra’s special achievement.
ICC Men’s Emerging Cricketer of the Year 2023
New Zealand cricket team’s young all-rounder Rachin Ravindra has been honored with the ICC Men’s Emerging Cricketer of the Year award for his outstanding performance in the year 2023. With this award, he has made history by becoming the first player in New Zealand cricket history to win the Emerging Cricketer of the Year accolade.
Rachin Ravindra had to face stiff competition to win the ICC Men’s Emerging Cricketer of the Year 2023 award. The race for this award included several emerging players in world cricket, including the rapid South African bowler Gerald Coetzee, the fast-paced Sri Lankan bowler Dilshan Madushanka, and India’s explosive opening batsman Yashasvi Jaiswal. However, the way Rachin performed in the year 2023 was unparalleled. No one could match his performance, and he emerged as the ultimate winner.
Also Read This: Top 5 Batting Performances in Cricket World Cup 2023
Rachin Ravindra’s performance in the year 2023
New Zealand’s young all-rounder Rachin Ravindra made his Test and T20I debut in the year 2021. However, for quite a long time after that, he did not get the opportunity to debut in One Day Internationals (ODIs). Despite the board having confidence in him, he finally got the chance to make his ODI debut in the year 2023. On March 25, playing against Sri Lanka in his ODI debut, he played a remarkable innings in the middle order, scoring 49 runs off 52 balls. This innings included 4 boundaries and 1 six. His ODI debut provided him with a golden opportunity to make a name for himself in the cricketing world. Following this, he was included in the New Zealand team for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023, marking a significant turning point in his life.
New Zealand’s Rachin Ravindra was given the opportunity to play in the One Day International (ODI) World Cup 2023 hosted by India, which was a significant moment in his life. However, fate took a turn when captain Kane Williamson was ruled out due to injury from the playing 11. Yes, it was due to Williamson’s injury that Rachin got the chance to open in the World Cup, and in his very first World Cup match against the England team, he created history by scoring a magnificent century.
In the very first match of the World Cup 2023, witnessing a flawless inning from his bat against the England team was a delight. He scored 123 runs off 96 balls, maintaining a strike rate of 128.12. During this innings, he hit 11 boundaries and 5 sixes, which remains his best score in international cricket to date. Moreover, he also took a wicket in that match. After that performance, his bat continued to roar throughout the World Cup.
He maintained an impressive average of 64.22 and a striking rate of 106.44 with a total of 578 runs in 10 matches with his bat. This included 3 centuries and 2 half-centuries. It was due to his powerful batting that the Kiwi team comfortably reached the semi final. With 578 runs, he secured the fourth position in terms of the highest run-scorers in the World Cup 2023. However, not only in batting but also in bowling, he showed excellence by dismissing 5 batsmen. Apart from England, he scored centuries against Australia and Pakistan in the World Cup.
The year 2023 was truly remarkable for the 24-year-old Rachin Ravindra, where he scored 911 runs in 37 matches with an average of 36.44 and a strike rate of 110.15. This included 3 centuries and 3 half-centuries, with his highest score being an unbeaten 123 runs. Additionally, he showcased his excellent bowling skills by taking 23 wickets, which is indeed commendable.
Due to his strong performances, he is getting the opportunity to play in the Indian Premier League (IPL), where he will be seen playing for the Chennai Super Kings in the IPL 2024. He became a part of his team by placing a bid of 1.8 crore during the auction.
Rachin Ravindra’s International career
Rachin Ravindra has played 25 One Day Internationals (ODIs) so far, scoring 820 runs in 21 innings with an average of 41 and a strike rate of 108.03. This includes 3 centuries and 3 half-centuries. His highest score in One Day Internationals is 123* runs. Additionally, he has scored 73 runs in 3 Test matches and 146 runs in 19 T20 Internationals (T20Is). During this period, he has dismissed 3 batsmen in Tests, 18 in ODIs, and 11 in T20Is as a bowler.
Top contenders’ performance in Year 2023
Besides Rachin Ravindra, other strong contenders for the ICC Men’s Emerging Cricketer of the Year 2023 award included Gerald Coetzee, Dilshan Madushanka, and Yashasvi Jaiswal.
Yashasvi Jaiswal played a total of 18 matches in the year 2023, scoring 718 runs in 19 innings with an average of 39.88 and a strike rate of 87.99. This included 2 centuries and 4 half-centuries. His highest score during this period was 171 runs, which he achieved in his Test debut against the West Indies.
On the other hand, Gerald Coetzee, in 21 matches, took 47 wickets in 24 innings with an economy rate of 5.96. His best bowling figure during this time was 4/44. Dilshan Madushanka also played 21 matches, taking 37 wickets in 24 innings with an economy rate of 6.57. His best bowling figure was 5/80. All three players performed exceptionally well, but in the end, Rachin Ravindra emerged victorious, clinching the ICC Men’s Emerging Cricketer of the Year 2023 award.
Also Read This: Shikhar Dhawan to Wriddhiman Saha: 5 players who might never to return to the Team India again
Also Read This: List of players who have scored the most runs in IPL history, know at which number your favorite batsman is
