CSK star Rachin Ravindra trains at Super Kings academy ahead of first-ever Afghanistan-New Zealand Test

New Zealand all-rounder Rachin Ravindra and seam bowler Ben Sears were spotted training in the nets at the Super Kings academy. The cricket academy is an initiative by five-time Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Chennai Super Kings (CSK), which is spread across Tamil Nadu and also abroad.

Ravindra, who represented CSK in IPL 2024, got the opportunity to train at the academy along with compatriot Sears. Both of them have been named in New Zealand's squad for their one-off Test match against Afghanistan, which gets underway from Monday, September 9. The Greater Noida Sports Complex Ground, which was Afghanistan's adopted home ground, will play host to the first-ever red-ball fixture between the two teams.

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The Blackcaps are set to begin a long assignment in the subcontinent as they are scheduled to play two Tests against Sri Lanka and three versus India following the one-off clash against the Blue Tigers.

Ravindra came of age during the ODI World Cup last year in India. He finished the tournament as the fourth-highest run-getter, amassing 578 runs from 10 innings at an average of 64.22. The 24-year-old was roped in by CSK at the IPL 2024 auction INR 1.80 crore. He took the tournament by storm as he scored 83 runs from his first two outings off just 35 balls. The southpaw eventually ended with 222 runs from 10 matches after experiencing a dip in form through the middle. However, he maintained an excellent strike rate of 160.87. It will be interesting to see how he fares during New Zealand's encounters in the subcontinent.

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Meanwhile, Afghanistan recently named a 20-man preliminary squad for the one-off Test against New Zealand. The final 15-member squad will be selected following a week-long preparation camp in Greater Noida. Hashmatullah Shahidi will be leading the side, while the talismanic Rashid Khan has been ruled out due to a back injury.