Young fast bowler Harshit Rana turned heads in Ranchi on Sunday after a fiery first-over double strike against South Africa national cricket team and skipper KL Rahul didn’t hide his excitement. “We knew the minute he came into that dressing room that he’s special. That is what Team India has been looking for,” Rahul said, adding that Rana’s height, pace and ability to “hit the deck” offered exactly what India needs. The young pacer backed the praise with performances that could force a rethink in India’s fast-bowling plans. 
In the first ODI of the series at the JSCA International Stadium, Rana didn’t waste any time. Sharing the new ball with Arshdeep Singh, he struck twice in his opening over bowling Ryan Rickelton and then getting Quinton de Kock caught behind, both for ducks. Later in the innings, he also removed Dewald Brevis with a slower ball that was caught near the boundary.
That spell played a crucial role in India defending a total of 349/8 to win by 17 runs. The breakthrough from Rana unsettled South Africa’s chase early on, giving the home side the edge. 
Rahul, in the post-match presentation, didn’t hold back while calling Rana a “special” addition to the squad. He said “Harshit’s done really well. We all knew he had the potential and we knew the minute he came into that dressing room that he’s special. That is what Team India has been looking for. Someone who is tall, someone who can bowl fast, someone who hits the deck, someone who can give a little bit of runs as well at the back end,”
Yet, he also cautioned that Rana is “still developing,” praising his growth but urging patience. ”So, he’s still someone who’s developing but we see great potential and it’s amazing to see what he’s been able to do. He bowled brilliantly in Australia as well and to take the new ball here and get us those crucial wickets is what we expect out of him and it was really pleasing to see that,” he added.
With such a debut impact, Rana has not just silenced his critics but he’s given India a genuine fast-bowling option going into tougher conditions. If he continues on this path, Rana could become a key part of India’s pace attack across formats.
Topics mentioned in this article
