Here is the full transcript of Rachin Ravindra’s post-match press conference after the Sri Lanka-New Zealand clash, T20 World Cup Super 8 on February 26.
(Reporter:)
The Asian teams looked very popular. You came to the party and ruined everyone and most of them walk out. What did you do right?
(Rachin Ravindra 🙂
I wouldn’t say we destroy them. I think beating Sri Lanka in their home conditions is a heck of an achievement. I think we know what a great side they are, especially in Colombo, and we’re hugely proud of the group for the fight they’ve shown and for them to have contributions across the board, it’s hugely pleasing. I think something we pride ourselves on as a black hat team is adaptation. And we have been playing in these conditions for some time. And I think as a group we’re getting better at the spin game. And it’s a testament to our training at home, the home program and so on. So we are evolving. And we just try to make the best of every moment and luckily it was good enough today.
(Reporter:)
The pitch seemed to change quite drastically in the middle of your innings, the New Zealand innings. How did you all, how did the side adapt to that, especially because as it changed, you lost a bunch of wickets. So what were some of the conversations that took place in the basement?
(Rachin Ravindra 🙂
I think what’s been hugely pleasing is the composure that Sat and Cole have shown in this amazing partnership and of course we know about the quality of the stats but obviously Cole and being able to absorb a bit of pressure and obviously credit to the Sri Lankan bowlers, bowled really well stump to stump, changed the tempo, made it difficult for the lads, especially losing a couple of wickets to us, but again I think it’s a real favor of our groups and trustworthiness of our group. I think we probably discussed 150 when we lost a couple of wickets it would be a great score and whatever we got was a bonus. I think the guys took it really well and created an amazing platform for us to play on that goal. And we’d probably actually bowl first as well, so that’s just the way subcontinent cricket goes.
(Reporter:)
Really well played. Speaking during the middle innings, Cole talked about the interesting pitches the Sri Lankan spinners used today, especially with the boundary dimensions being uneven on both sides. So what did you see when you were batting there and also when you came to bowl, what was your approach to your fields as a carousel?
(Rachin Ravindra 🙂
Yeah, I think you always hit the ball right handed, you always thought you were going to bowl from the short side to the leg side. So for me it didn’t give too many opportunities to use that side and often work a little wider outside. Luckily for me there was a lot of turn and bounce in the wicket which allowed me, which suits my bowling, an up and down type. And I think the great thing about our team is the communication that we have within the rotating unit. Cole has obviously taken the first few overs and mentioned what works and so has Santner and to have a leader like Santner from our spin bowling group is fantastic. So, yeah, I think the field, I definitely think Sri Lanka have been amazing through that middle and they’ve put a lot of pressure on us and for us they’re trying to squeeze when we can, when there’s a new batter trying to make sure there’s a couple of dots, connecting them together, it’s putting a bit of pressure on those services.
(Reporter:)
Having spent time in the middle, a significant amount of time in the middle, how impressive was what Santner and McConkie managed to achieve in those dying overs?
(Rachin Ravindra 🙂
It was amazing. I can’t do half of what these guys do and that’s why I think I’m a top water batsman and I think it was amazing to see I think we were definitely a little nervous in the dugout and then we saw them absorb and absorb and absorb and just apply the pressure back at the right time and I think they both realized in terms of the wickets we had and it was amazing it looked really hard and obviously it was shorter and obviously it looked hard and on the right side something that we pride ourselves on as a New Zealand team is being able to be malleable and able to do different things at different times of pressure but I think the trust in each other is fantastic as a group and we know that hopefully we have the team to do the job on the day.
(Reporter:)
The question is pretty simple for you now, win your next match against England and then qualify for the semi-finals. Do you think you’ll like your chances given England haven’t played at this venue before?
(Rachin Ravindra 🙂
Yeah, I mean you always go into these games with confidence, especially when we know what the surface is going to be like, but I think it would be silly to underestimate England at any point. They are obviously such a quality unit and they showed that in the bowling and how well they bowled. I mean they have top notch batters throughout their order. So there isn’t necessarily anything like that. Obviously we’ll take the confidence from today and move on, but in two days we’ll realize it’s going to be a different challenge and hopefully we’ll rise to it.
(Reporter:)
You mentioned shorter boundaries in several of your answers. You batted pretty well in the beginning, it’s not that easy to take advantage of the shorter boundaries, is it? I want to ask you exactly how Santner and Cole actually used the shorter boundary, but how challenging is it for the batsmen to use the short boundary.
(Rachin Ravindra 🙂
Sure, I mean when you see a boundary like that, the nature and tendency of the bowling team is to defend it and you have to be creative with the angles you hit and where you stand in the crease to access that and I think those two were brilliant. You could tell they were in a wide field and Santner hit it and Cole was over the stumps and for him to wrist the leg knife over Mid-wicket was fantastic. That thing is an incredible skill and, as I said earlier, the way they absorbed themselves for a period of time and were clear about how they wanted to do it in the last four or five overs was hugely pleasing. As a New Zealand team it’s fantastic to see guys all over the order doing their thing.
(Reporter:)
Santner – He’s always like that, he’s so laconic, cool-headed, but clearly he’s a master tactician, isn’t he?
(Rachin Ravindra 🙂
Yeah, I mean, you probably don’t see it on the field, but he is, obviously we all know how cold he is, but also his mind and his mindset and what’s the end of the ball is fantastic. But I think more than anything, he leads with his performance and his work ethic, he backs you up and pumps up your tires a lot, and I think it’s great to have a leader like that. You feel ten feet tall and bulletproof every time you step on the field and he’s just a great presence in the group.
(Reporter:)
Looks like you had a lot of fun bowling here. So we could see recently past New Zealand spinners have done a really great job in Asian conditions. What special things did you do in your preparations?
(Rachin Ravindra 🙂
I guess I’m not sure if it’s anything special, I think most of it is support for what we do and confidence in our method. Obviously in New Zealand we’re used to throwing things with overspin because you don’t get as much buy, so you’re hoping for a bit of dip and bounce and a bit of trickery. And that goal there was suitable for that. And it’s probably a bit of hard work, a bit of training and I think it’s more of a communication between the spin group. Obviously you’ve got Santner, who’s one of the best white-ball batsmen in the world, telling you what to bowl, so it helps to have that extra cover, and we’ve got guys with a lot of experience, 100 T20s each, Coles playing a lot of domestic cricket, GP – I’m definitely getting strength and power in the free spin and I’m just there so we can take a few of my chips and hope. that it goes forward.
