The pacer has featured in just one T20I till date.
The North Delhi Strikers have won two out of their last three fixtures in the Delhi Premier League (DPL) 2025. After losing their opening fixture, they made a great comeback, winning their next two games. Though the performances which have made them victorious have been team efforts, one player has constantly stood out in all the three games so far. Skipper Harshit Rana has impressed with his consistent numbers across all three games.
He has bagged two wickets in all three fixtures, and has also limited the flow of runs. Stemming the flow of runs in the shortest format of the game is as important as taking wickets. Sometimes, the former results in the latter. And hence, it is extremely important to keep an overall track of what a bowler is trying to achieve. Harshit Rana has bowled economical spells in all three games, which is a very valuable asset for any team.
The speedster was not seen in international cricket after the recent Border-Gavaskar Trophy Down Under. He was a part of the team which toured England to play against the England Lions before the Anderson Tendulkar Trophy. Moreover, he was added to India’s squad for a match, and was released after the second Test in Birmingham. Though he has played just a solitary T20I for India, Harshit has had a good stint with the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). The bowler surely possesses the ability to rattle the batter with the bounce he can generate due to his height.
If we look at his brief international career, there might not be much to go by data. But just for stats’ sake, the pacer has managed three wickets against England in the only T20I that he featured in. Going a notch ahead, his numbers in the Indian Premier League (IPL) speak volumes of his ability. And that is what the Indian selectors should latch their eyes on. Harshit has represented KKR for the past four seasons. Having played 34 matches for them, he has bagged 40 wickets. However, his best season in terms of wickets came in 2023, in which he bagged 19 wickets.
Introduced to the scene in 2022 after a recommendation from Nitish Rana, Harshit burst onto the scene with his skills as selectors took notice. It took him a season to show his true colours. What makes Harshit effective is the way he manages to bowl during different phases of the game. He finished with an economy of under 10 in IPL 2023, which is extremely difficult to do. This is due to the high-scoring nature of the tournament.
The legendary Ian Bishop once mentioned that “He’s got a great future ahead.” This was after his last over against Pakistan in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. He managed to get a wicket without leaking a run on the first four deliveries of the last over. In five ODIs, he has managed to scalp 10 wickets.
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India will be strong favourites in the upcoming Asia Cup. The tournament will be played in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and the conditions will not be very different from the ones that all participating countries have. But the quality of bowling and the availability of players is what will be crucial. Jasprit Bumrah’s availability for the tournament is under wraps, and will be known after the declaration of the squad.
To add to that, Mohammed Siraj has just had an exhilarating five-match Test series. With the tournament being almost a month away, he will want to play for sure. Pacers like Arshdeep Singh, Avesh Khan, Mukesh Kumar and Khaleel Ahmed will be in the ranks. To add to that, Harshit Rana will also play a crucial role, especially with the new ball upfront. If Jasprit Bumrah does not play the upcoming Asia Cup, it will be important for someone to take up the mantle towards the death end of the innings. And with the ability he possesses, Harshit Rana might be the right fit with all the other pacers.
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