Harshit Rana made his debut against Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in 2024/25.
Former Australian coach Justin Langer once mentioned that if a player is picked to play in the XI out of a country of a 1.46 billion, he’s got to be pretty good. India’s cricketing ecosystem breeds a lot of competition. We can often witness exciting talent coming up from the countries whose cricketing ecosystem is robust and full of competition. But sometimes, just breaking the barrier and making it to the top doesn’t suffice for a player. Young Harshit Rana found himself in a similar spot in the recent ENG vs IND Test series.
Harshit Rana was picked in the squad for the first Test match of the series in Leeds. He did not make the XI and warmed the bench at Headingley. However, the speedster was cleared of his duties from the squad ahead of the second Test at Edgbaston. In a recent interview, Rana opened up about the mental struggles that a player has to go through after he is dropped from the side.
In a recent podcast, the pacer spoke about the challenges of playing a long tour for any player. The recent Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy commenced on June 20, and the last day of the series was scheduled on August 4. Amid the 45 days of exhilarating drama, Rana mentioned how it takes a toll on a player’s body, physically as well as mentally. But being dropped is a different feeling to deal with.
“The series is long and tours last for two to three months. Suppose you are playing the first Test match and you don’t perform well, you get dropped and have to sit out for the next four matches. At that point, it can really get mentally tough”, said Rana on the podcast.
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The young Indian speedster has just two Test matches to show in his arsenal. But he has shown a lot of promise in the two Tests which he played in Australia. Harshit made his debut against the Aussies down under and has picked four wickets in two Test matches. He spoke about the dressing room environment during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024/25 Down Under and also said that all players are very supportive.
When one represents the nation, there is seldom room to dwell on negative thoughts. Though being motivated is a given, the fast bowler spoke about how one needs to keep practicing even when things are not going their way. He also went on to say that the love for the game is what keeps the player going. He concluded by saying that, at the end of the day, you realise that you are playing for your country. When that realization kicks in, one feels grateful for the opportunities he is presented with. The game has a huge aspect which is played in the mind of a player before he goes on to represent his country on the field.
“You might feel low, but cricket is in your heart. You cannot stay away from it. Even when things are not going your way, you still find yourself on the ground. That is where you find happiness. The idea is always to keep working hard”, concluded Harshit Rana.
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