Rachin Ravindra's Meteoric Rise in Cricket

Young New Zealand all-rounder Rachin Ravindra secures his first central contract after a successful year, highlighted by his performance in the ODI World Cup and IPL. Alongside Ben Sears, Will O'Rourke, and Jacob Duffy, Ravindra features in the list of 20 contracted cricketers for the 2024-25 season.

Young New Zealand all-rounder and Indian-origin talent, Rachin Ravindra, has earned his first central contract following a year of remarkable achievements, notably in the ODI World Cup where he amassed significant runs.

The 24-year-old, one of 20 cricketers to receive contracts on Wednesday for the 2024-25 season, ended his breakthrough period as the fourth leading run-scorer with 578 runs.

Ravindra's ODI success catapulted him into the spotlight during the IPL auction, resulting in his debut with Chennai Super Kings, purchased for a notable Rs 1.8 crore.

In a rewarding trajectory, Ravindra was honored as the ICC Emerging Player of the Year for 2023 and became the youngest recipient of the Sir Richard Hadlee Medal in March.

Ravindra expressed his delight at receiving the central contract, attributing it to his roots in Bengaluru and calling the achievement a 'pinch-myself moment'.

He highlighted the enriching experience of international cricket and voiced his continued commitment to the Blackcaps.

Alongside Ravindra, newcomers Ben Sears, Will O'Rourke, and Jacob Duffy have also been offered contracts by New Zealand Cricket (NZC).

Sears, who played with Ravindra in the 2016 ICC Under-19 World Cup, has 13 wickets from 11 T20Is this past season, and was a travelling reserve for the T20 World Cup.

O'Rourke, debuting in all formats in the past year, has participated in three ODIs, three T20Is, and two Tests. Duffy, the 29-year-old right-arm quick, has featured in 14 T20Is and six ODIs recently.

The NZC contracts list for 2024-25 includes prominent names such as Finn Allen, Tom Blundell, Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Devon Conway, and others.

(With inputs from agencies.)