Success comes with a Ryder

“This morning he woke up early,and he was happy to do the media briefing,which was unusual. And he followed it up with some gym training,” he added,almost stunned,before going on to explain how the next few months could be vital for Ryder.

With an average of 46 from six Tests and getting known as a match-winner in the shorter versions,Ryder’s potential is above scrutiny. And that’s why those around him feel that the current series against India,and the subsequent Indian Premier League (IPL) in which he will play for the Bangalore Royal Challengers,can make him a star even outside New Zealand.

In a nation with a limited talent-pool,a lot is at stake on this wildcard. During the T20 game on Friday,the crowd got the roof down when Ryder started the New Zealand innings by a nonchalant six off Irfan Pathan. As is the case with all sporting enfant terribles,or flawed geniuses,the chubby-cheeked boy has a special bond with the fans on the terraces. With binge drinking considered a Kiwi tradition — XXL is not an uncommon shirt-size here — the ‘Easy Ryder’ is seen as a boy next door who the masses identify with.

The game’s administrators,too,are aware of the importance of Ryder — not just in terms of the runs he scores but also because he’s a character the fans come to watch. Former Test player Gavin Larsen,the CEO of Cricket Wellington,calls him a “rough diamond”.

“He is a sort of guy who is a bit more labour-intensive than the other guys. But when you look at his talent,you feel that he is actually worth it,” says Larsen. “If you can get five to 15 years of cricket out of Jesse,it will not only be great for New Zealand cricket but also world cricket because he is a very clean striker of the ball. He is the guy who can get the crowds in.”

But in contrast to his batting approach,Ryder is a man of few words. Local cricket writers say,with raised eyebrows,that during a recent press conference he broke the world record for monosyllabic answers.

Klee,who looks after Ryder’s affairs out of friendship that started when he was the chairman of the Wellington club where the player played,says Ryder is “very quiet,very shy”,before adding,“He is someone you feel compelled or attracted to help. He never upsets or hurts anyone. He has only upset or hurt himself in the past.”

Troubled childhood

Klee says one of the reasons for Ryder’s indiscretions — he famously broke a glass door that left him with a stitched hand and a missed tour of England — is that he had a troubled childhood.

Ryder grew up as the only child of a split family in rural Wairarapa. The instability of the early days forced him to stay with several people other than his immediate family at a time when financial security was a distant dream.

“Cricket has been one thing he has had in life that has been good for him. Now he can make a wonderful living out of it. He can be very successful,and probably very wealthy,if he fulfils his potential. That’s something he wouldn’t have had without cricket,” Klee says.

Ryder got a feel of his worth at the IPL auction,and he told his manager that he wanted to be at his best behaviour while playing for the Bangalore Royal Challengers. When asked how he feels going to a city with a pub culture to be a part of a time owned by a liquor baron,he didn’t even smile. “I don’t think about those things,” he said. “I am going there to score runs.”