Courtesy: IPL
Harshit Rana, the right-arm fast bowler from New Delhi, is reportedly set to make his debut for India in the T20I format during the third and final match of the series against Bangladesh at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium in Hyderabad. After making a name for himself in the Indian Premier League (IPL) in the last couple of seasons with Kolkata Knight Riders, he is expected to make the cut in the Indian playing XI at long last.
Notably, after India won the T20 World Cup 2024 in the Caribbean, their next tour to the Zimbabwe shores for the five-match T20I series saw Harshit Rana make the national squad. While the Indian cricket team managed to win the series 4-1, Harshit Rana wasn’t given the chance to play in any of the five matches, extending his wait to make the international debut to a couple of months.
Harshit Rana won the IPL 2024 with Kolkata Knight Riders after a splendid season with the ball
But now, with India taking an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match T20I series against Bangladesh, the team management will have the option to give the players on the bench a chance to be in the playing XI. As per the sources close to SportsTiger, Harshit Rana is expected to be a part of the Indian playing XI in the third and final T20I against the near neighbours in Hyderabad on Saturday, October 12.
In his 25 T20 appearances in domestic and franchise cricket, Harshit Rana has picked up 28 wickets at an economy of 8.94. Meanwhile, after making his Kolkata Knight Riders debut in 2022, the right-arm fast bowler has played 21 matches in the IPL, taking 25 wickets at an economy of 9.05, with his best career figures in the format being 3/24, and he is already a champion in the league after his team clinched the title in the 2024 season.
The Indian management have invested heavily in Harshit Rana in recent times, so there will be expectations on him to deliver instant results, not only from the coaching staff but also the fans during his international debut itself.
