In just three months, Harshit Rana has made his mark on the international stage, debuting across formats for India. The young fast bowler has impressed with his performances, taking a three-wicket haul in each of his debuts, a feat never before achieved by an Indian cricketer. His inclusion in the playing XI ahead of Akash Deep during the second Test of India’s Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Adelaide raised some eyebrows, especially given that the match was a day-night affair. This decision came despite Rana’s impressive four-wicket haul on debut in Perth.
Still at the beginning of his international career, Rana is aware of the constant scrutiny that comes with playing at the highest level. However, he remains unfazed by the opinions surrounding him. After his spell of 3/53 in the first ODI against England on Thursday, he addressed the ongoing chatter. “I believe that people will keep on talking,” he said. “I just want to play, good or bad. I’m not bothered, I just want to deliver for my country. I don’t pay attention to those talks.”
His ODI debut, however, did not start on the best note. Facing his Kolkata Knight Riders teammate Phil Salt, Rana conceded 26 runs in a single over, making for a tough initiation into the format. But after a short break, he returned to the attack with renewed focus. His persistence paid off when Yashasvi Jaiswal took a stunning catch, giving the Delhi pacer his first ODI wicket by dismissing Ben Duckett.
Cricket, Rana knows, is a game of ups and downs. Reflecting on his performance, he emphasized the importance of consistency. “I only wanted to focus on my length, bowl where I have to, and I got the reward for that later,” he explained. “I didn’t do anything different in my second spell, just focussed on hitting the right areas.”
Rana was drafted into India’s ODI squad for the England series as a replacement for the unfit Jasprit Bumrah. Knowing he could be called upon, he was mentally prepared to be part of the playing XI in Nagpur, ready to make the most of his opportunity.
