Rachin Ravindra

Born to Indian parents in Wellington, Rachin Ravindra is an attacking left-hand batter who can also bowl some quality left-arm spin. Thanks to his all-round skills, he was identified as a special talent in the domestic circuit and got ample opportunities with the U-19 and New Zealand A side before making bigger strides. With a healthy strike rate of around 100 in the shorter formats, Rachin usually plays at the top of the order for Wellington and is known for his attacking approach with both bat and ball.

His consistency in domestic cricket earned him an international debut for New Zealand (against Bangladesh in a T20I in September 2021), and it didn’t take long for the southpaw to make his Test debut as well (against India in November 2021). Interestingly, Rachin’s father, Ravi Krishnamurthy, is a huge fan of Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid - hence the name “Rachin,” combining “Ra” and “chin.”

2023 proved to be his breakout year. Initially not in contention for the ODI World Cup, an injury to Michael Bracewell opened the door. Ravindra grabbed the opportunity with both hands, scoring a stunning century against England in the opener and finishing the tournament with 578 runs at an average of 64+ and a strike rate over 100, emerging as one of the finds of the tournament and winning the ICC Emerging Cricketer of the Year award.

He carried that momentum forward, becoming a key figure for New Zealand across formats. In 2024, he scored a century against South Africa at home and followed it up with a memorable ton against India in Bengaluru, playing a pivotal role in a historic Test series win.

Ravindra continued his golden run in the 2025 Champions Trophy, where he bounced back from a pre-tournament injury to deliver match-winning performances. Batting at No. 4, he scored two centuries (vs Bangladesh and South Africa) and finished as the Player of the Tournament, guiding New Zealand to the final.

At the IPL level, Ravindra was picked up by Chennai Super Kings for the 2025 season via the RTM route. He had a decent campaign, contributing primarily as a top-order aggressor. Across the season, he scored around 191 runs in 8 matches at a strike rate of 128.19, including a couple of impactful knocks in the powerplay that gave CSK brisk starts. While he wasn’t always consistent, his ability to take on pace early and chip in with a few overs of spin added balance to the side.

Heading into IPL 2026 with Kolkata Knight Riders, expectations around Ravindra will be significantly higher. KKR will likely look at him as a multi-dimensional top-order option - someone who can: provide aggressive starts in the powerplay, anchor when needed against spin and contribute 2-3 overs of left-arm spin on slower surfaces.

If he can translate his international consistency into the IPL and deliver more regular 30-50 run contributions, Ravindra could become a key pillar in KKR’s batting lineup. Given his temperament and versatility, IPL 2026 could well be the season where he evolves from a promising talent into a genuine T20 match-winner.