A keeper who played as specialist batsman for Kiwis

Alongside young Mitchell Santner, the 35-year-old New Zealand-born former Australian international was one of the Black Caps’ two standout performers in Kanpur. Ronchi hit 38 in the first innings and then 80 in the second, looking assured against Ravi Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja on a pitch offering all kinds of assistance. Rather than natural talent, which his balance and footwork undoubtedly proves he has, Ronchi credited his success against spin to his first trip to India 15 years ago as an Australian Cricket Academy member with coach and former Australian wicket-keeper Rod Marsh. “I always enjoyed [playing spin] but it is something I’ve worked on over my whole career,” he said. “I certainly wasn’t the same player then as I am now. I went over there trying to cut, pull and do all sorts, which here is a lot harder to do. 

“That was my first experience batting and keeping on these wickets and see the different ways people played it. From then on you’re just trying to evolve and learn new ways of playing spin.” Ronchi has certainly settled on a style that works, and had his teammates coming to him for advice. Ronchi reckoned it was a combination of factors which contributed to his success in conditions where spin had taken 26 of the 35 wickets to fall in the match. “My mindset is pretty much to try and get off strike as much as possible,” he said. “I just try and hit in the gaps and get off strike and keep it as simple as I possibly can. Sometimes if the field is in a bit more I try to [hit boundaries], just so they’ll push the field back and I’ve got single options, but I’m more of an aggressive batsman anyway.”