India quick Harshit Rana has shared a dressing room with Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma on nine occasions in his 16-match career. The 23-year-old says the senior pair’s example is a daily reminder of what elite standards look like, and he believes that spirit is rubbing off on the younger players.
“It is a big thing for me, and for the entire team too,” Rana said ahead of the second ODI against South Africa in Jaipur on Tuesday. “If such experienced players are with you in the dressing room and on the field, the environment stays great … Everyone wants to be better.”
Rana’s own progress has been steady rather than headline-grabbing. He arrived as a skiddy, change-of-pace bowler made for the middle overs, yet in Sunday’s opening ODI he was asked to take the new ball and struck twice in his first over, finishing with 3 for 65. Explaining the shift, he pointed to guidance from India’s bowling coach and a fellow left-armer. “With the new ball, I’ve practised a lot with Morne [Morkel] and also talk a lot with Arshdeep [Singh],” he said. “He has a lot of experience, and he helps me in practices by telling how I should bowl better.”
‘Helpful’ ODI ball-change rule
Fast bowlers everywhere have welcomed this year’s tweak to one-day regulations: although both new balls still start the innings, from the 35th over captains may now pick one to see out the final 16 overs. The thinking is that a slightly older ball offers a hint of reverse swing and grips the surface for slower balls—exactly the tools a seamer like Rana relies on.
“You know that the bowlers don’t get as much help in today’s cricket,” he said. “This rule has been very helpful for us, because that one older ball, we always keep in the back of our minds … Whichever ball is older after the 34th [over], we try and focus on that.”
Different roles, different plans
“In India, bowling is different because the variations are what you have to depend on,” Rana added. “In each phase, you have to bowl differently in different roles: sometimes attacking, sometimes defensive.” The comment neatly sums up his own evolution—new-ball bursts one day, cutters and yorkers the next.
Possible reshuffle
India gave Rishabh Pant and Tilak Varma a prolonged hit in the nets on Monday, with assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate keeping a close eye. A middle-order tweak for Wednesday would not surprise, especially with South Africa’s spinners enjoying the slow Kotla surface two nights ago.
For now, Rana is content to keep learning from the men who have seen it all. “They are always motivated—whether it is good times or bad times,” he said of Kohli and Rohit. “They back you and tell you what next steps you should take. As a youngster, this really helps you, because when you are on the field—in a pressure situation—they help you out a lot.”
