Former cricketer Irfan Pathan recently shed light on why India opted for Harshit Rana over Harshal Patel in the T20I setup. Despite Harshal’s consistency in the IPL over the past five years, where he has regularly been among the wickets, he has struggled to establish himself in the national side.
In IPL 2025, Harshal picked up 16 wickets in 13 games, while Harshit claimed 15 in as many matches. Pathan pointed out that although both bowlers have similar returns in the middle and death overs, Rana holds a slight edge with his effectiveness in the powerplay, particularly with the new ball.
“Harshal Patel and Harshit Rana, if you compare, where he might have missed out, the numbers are very similar in the middle and the death overs in terms of economy. But when it comes to powerplay, Harshit Rana’s numbers are slightly better.”
“If the situation arises that they want to play Harshit Rana with the new ball and partner with Bumrah, they might have that thought process and this is where he (Harshal) misses out,” he said, while replying to a Sportskeeda query in a special interaction organized by Sony Sports Network.
“Harshal Patel Unlucky to Miss Out, New Ball Skills Give Edge to Harshit Rana”: Irfan Pathan
Former all-rounder Irfan Pathan felt it was unlucky for Harshal Patel to miss out on selection. However, he reiterated that Harshit Rana’s ability to operate effectively with the new ball may have been the decisive factor in the team management’s choice.
“It is very unfortunate for Harshal Patel because he is a guy who has performed consistently in the IPL. But to miss out, there is always going to be someone who will miss out. There is always going to be a criteria when it comes to selection and I am sure this selection between these two guys must have played the new ball bowling ability. And that is also marginal,” he added.
Harshal Patel has represented in 119 IPL matches, where he has taken 151 wickets at an average of 23.70 with an economy rate of 8.85. He made his T20I debut for India in 2021 and has since played 25 matches, collecting 29 wickets at an average of 26.55 and an economy of 9.18.
His last appearance in the format came in 2023. Meanwhile, Harshit Rana has earned a place in India’s 15-member squad for the 2025 Asia Cup.
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