Delhi pacer Harshit Rana shared that his father wishes for him to play against England at Lord’s, but he prefers facing Australia due to his similar mindset with Aussie players. The 22-year-old received his first Test call-up for the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia, starting November 22, after impressing in the 2024 IPL with the title-winning Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR).
He has been part of the Indian limited-overs squad, although he hasn’t played yet. Following a five-wicket haul in the ongoing Ranji Trophy match against Assam, he spoke to ESPNcricinfo.
“Only when the team was announced did I know I was going to Australia. But I had indications that I might be selected for the Australia tour because they had me with the team to prepare.”
“Being selected for Australia tour is a big deal for me. The kind of competitive attitude I like to play cricket with on the field is very similar to Australia’s. It was my father’s dream that I play a Test against England sometime at Lord’s, but I personally like Australia more.”
“I have been with the Indian team continuously since the IPL and I have learnt a lot of things there. This lesson is not only about cricket, but also about life, how a sportsperson advances his career and life. Even as a cricketer, I have grown a lot by being with the Indian team,” he added.
Rana’s deceptive speed and ability to produce steep bounce could make him a challenging opponent on Australian pitches if he is included in the playing XI. Prior to the current Ranji Trophy, the right-arm pacer achieved four-wicket hauls in consecutive matches for India A during the 2024 Duleep Trophy.
“They have the same aggressive intent in the nets as in matches”- Harshit Rana about bowling to Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli
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Harshit Rana emphasized the advantages of bowling to legends Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma while training with the Indian team. The 22-year-old has an impressive first-class record, with 36 wickets at an average of under 25 in nine matches.
“I love bowling to both of them in the nets because they also bat with the same intent in the nets like they do in a match. So there is no scope for you to make a mistake or bowl ordinary to them. I also spoke to Virat [Kohli] bhaiya and Rohit [Sharma] bhaiya, so they just told me to focus on my length and I am trying the same thing here,” said Rana.
He mentioned receiving helpful advice from seniors Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj for the upcoming Australian tour.
“Recently when I was with the Indian team, I used to keep talking to Jassi [Jasprit Bumrah] and [Mohammed] Siraj bhaiya that if someday I get a chance to play there [in Australia], what should I do and what should I not do, which length will be right there and which is not. I have got an idea of all these things from both the bowlers and talking to them has helped me a lot,” said Rana.
Team India won the last two bilateral Test series in Australia in 2018-19 and 2020-21 by 2-1 margins. They have also triumphed over Australia in their last four Test series, including a 2-1 victory at home last year.
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