“He has been New Zealand’s most prominent player in this World Cup” - Gautam Gambhir shares his views on the finds of the tournament
Former India opener Gautam Gambhir has picked New Zealand’s young batter Rachin Ravindra as one of the big finds of the 2023 World Cup. According to Gambhir, Ravindra has been the most prominent player for the Kiwis in the ICC event.
Ravindra, 23, has been absolutely sensational in the 2023 World Cup. In fact, he is currently the leading run-getter in the competition, having amassed 565 runs in nine innings at an average of 70.62 and a strike rate of 108.45. The southpaw has notched up three hundreds, with a best of 123* off 96 balls, which came in the tournament opener against England.
During a discussion on Sportskeeda’s YouTube channel, Gambhir praised the Kiwi batter and hailed him for grabbing the opportunity that came his way with both hands.
“Rachin Ravindra has been very good. His is a very good story. He was not supposed to play the first match. Lockie Ferguson got injured and Ravindra was told he is playing just ahead of the match. Sometimes, these things happen in sport. And now look, he has scored three hundreds in the World Cup. He has been New Zealand’s most prominent player in this World Cup. Such stories are incredible stories,” Gambhir commented.
“Other than that, there is Heinrich Klaasen, just for the way he has batted. For me, the two prominent stories are that of [Mohammed] Shami and Ravindra,” he added.
For his fantastic performances with the willow, Ravindra was named ICC Men's Player of the Month for October 2023.
“Dilshan Madushanka has got all the ingredients to become a very good bowler” - Gambhir
In the bowling department, Sri Lanka’s young left-arm pacer Dilshan Madushanka has stood out. While the Lankans have been knocked out of the World Cup, Madushanka is currently the leading wicket-taker in the competition, with 21 scalps in nine games.
Sharing his thoughts on the 23-year-old, Gambhir opined that he can serve Sri Lankan cricket for a long time if he stays fit.
“Absolutely, he has been a find. And he’s been a find from a point of view where he’s kept himself fit throughout the competition. Sri Lanka is a side that have had so many injury issues. Lahiru Kumara got injured; [Dushmantha] Chameera came back from injury. [Wanindu] Hasaranga was also injured,” the former opener added.
“Dilshan Madushanka has got all the ingredients to become a very good bowler for Sri Lanka for a very long period, provided he stays fit and he is developed properly. To take five wickets against India at Wankhede, that too in the day innings, is a commendable effort. He is one of the finds as well,” Gambhir concluded.
In 15 ODIs, Madushanka has claimed 31 wickets at an average of 24.06 and an economy rate of 6.09.