3 reasons why Harshit Rana should be an ODI regular for India starting from Sri Lanka series
Harshit Rana was the fifth-highest wicket-taker in IPL 2024 despite playing in two or three innings fewer than the four bowlers above him. He's 22.
These two facts should have been enough to fast-track the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) speedster into India's 11 post-the T20 World Cup but that didn't happen. He was not considered for T20Is against Zimbabwe but called in later as an injury replacement without any game time to follow.
Now, he seems to have finally got his moment in the sun by getting called up for the ODIs against Sri Lanka where it looks like there's a clear space for him to make his mark. Below are three points to reinforce why he should now be seen as a regular in the 50-overs format for India:
#1 Perfect for the next big assignments
After winning the T20 World Cup, India's focus has understandably turned towards ODI honors.
The Champions Trophy is lined up for 2025 which is set to be hosted by Pakistan but India games might shift to Sri Lanka or the UAE. It'll be followed by the 2027 ODI World Cup in South Africa and Zimbabwe.
The skills Harshit showed in the IPL are perfect for both host countries. Thanks to his height, he generates more bounce than most Indian pacers at his age. Combine that with his workhorse tendencies, and he would be superb for South African tracks where hitting the deck hard is key.
In Pakistan/Sri Lanka/UAE his off-cutter (which is quite difficult to read because his pace drops to 120-125kph from a high of 140-145kph without much change in action) would be lethal.
#2 Harshit Rana gives India something different in a transition phase
India's pace bowling lineup in the 2023 ODI World Cup comprised Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, and Mohammed Shami. The battery for the Sri Lanka ODIs includes Siraj, Khaleel Ahmed, and Arshdeep Singh.
All of them are similar in that sense, in an ideal scenario, they would love to bowl half of their overs in the powerplay. Most have slowly developed skills to bowl at the death, including pin-point yorkers and slower ones.
At the 2023 World Cup, Shami did well in the middle-overs but he would be 36 by the next World Cup and due to his recent bout with injuries, might not be able to feature in every game.
Harashit doesn't need to bowl in the powerplay. He can swing the ball but it's not a necessity for him.
He manufactures wickets and breaks partnerships using variations and smarts - which is different from Shami's technical nous but still a brilliant asset. With him around, India could use Bumrah and Siraj in the powerplay while keeping Harshit purely for middle and death overs.
A pacer with game-changing ability in the middle overs is something India desperately needed in the 2023 final against Australia in Ahmedabad. Bringing him in would be just the right start towards India's pace transition and upgrade.
#3 All-rounder in the making?
Finally, this is the perfect time to invest in Harshit because he can get around 30-50 ODIs of experience before the next World Cup if he maintains good form. This would not only help his bowling but would also allow India to discover just how good a batter he is.
At KKR, even Rinku Singh didn't get the chance to bat so Harshit's talent remained hidden. But the Delhi all-rounder has a First-Class hundred to his name and is popular for his big-hitting ability in domestic cricket.
India's need for more pace all-rounder is obvious. It's not just as a replacement/backup for Hardik Pandya but also because in pace-friendly conditions like South Africa, India generally have to compromise their batting ability (none of Bumrah, Siraj, and Shami can be considered all-rounders) to play the extra pacer.
Harshit can change that and be the next big thing across formats for India if he can fulfill his potential.