'Close mates' Ravindra and Conway hand England a reality check

After New Zealand's emphatic win over England in the World Cup opener, Devon Conway asked Rachin Ravindra to walk out of the Narendra Modi Stadium before him. It was a World Cup debut for both of them but Conway allowed his younger mate to have the limelight despite being the top-scorer of the match. 

Ravindra hit a fabulous 97 against Pakistan in their first World Cup warm-up match in Hyderabad but was not an automatic choice in the XI. Had Lockie Ferguson been hundred percent fit, Ravindra would have warmed the bench against England. He was a last-minute replacement and was welcomed with two fours and a six by fellow World Cup debutant Harry Brook. 

Ravindra got his man in the same over but ended up being the second-most expensive bowler for New Zealand, giving away 76 runs in ten overs. And when he walked out to bat, it was not the easiest situation for him. Will Young had just got out for a duck and he was batting at number three, a position owned by the great Kane Williamson. 

Although he opened against Pakistan in that warm-up game, Ravindra never batted above six in ODIs in his short career. But he looked absolutely at home in the middle. 

England used Moeen Ali extensively against the duo as he takes the ball away from the left-handers. Although Conway was respectful to his off-breaks, Ravindra enjoyed tonking the off-spinner. He took 41 off the 30 balls he faced off Moeen. 

And Ravindra did not feel much pressure because he had Conway at the other end with whom he shares a very good friendship. They play for the same team - Wellington - in domestic cricket and spend a lot of time together on the field and off it.

A relatively late bloomer, Conway made his international debut when he was almost thirty. He grabbed headlines when he smashed a double hundred on his Test debut against England at Lord's. The story of how he left everything in South Africa to pursue a cricketing career in New Zealand is well-known by now.

It was again England against whom he made his World Cup debut and set the Modi Stadium alight. He brought up his hundred off 83 balls, becoming the fastest New Zealander to hit a World Cup century. It was just moments before Ravindra broke it, notching up his hundred in 82 balls.

Ravindra, who looked more in control of the two, credited Conway for "showing" him the way. "Luckily I had Devon out  to show me how to do it. [I am] very very close with Devon. Special to finish it off with him," Ravindra said after the match. 

"Four-five years ago, we all knew Devon would become the player he is. Above all he's a great guy," he added.

Speaking to Star Sports, Mitchell Santner said Ravindra made the best use of the opportunity presented to him after Ferguson's shoulder niggle. 

"Hats off to Devon and Rachin. Lockie's injury kind of changed the balance of the team. Rachin made the most of the opportunity to show he is a world-class player," he said. 

"Of course we all know the class of Devon. These two love batting together. They do it domestically and love it. They want to keep batting and batting and that's what is good for us," he continued. 

England went into this game as favourites but the duo left the bowlers absolutely clueless.

The 273-run partnership between them was the fourth-highest in the history of the World Cup and the highest for New Zealand in the history of the tournament. New Zealand captain Tom Latham pointed out that both of them played balls according to their merit. 

It was a day of records for both the World Cup debutants. Conway became the fastest Black Caps batter to score 1000 runs and Ravindra became the youngest New Zealander to hit a World Cup hundred.

It was a sweet homecoming for Ravindra. His family used to be based in Bangalore and interestingly, he was named after two Indian legends Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar. Tendulkar was at the ground during the match. Dravid must have kept a close eye. The southpaw said he was "lucky" to be named after the two greats and there is no better place than India, his ancestral home, to get his maiden international hundred.