Harshit Rana Interview | I have never been fazed about bowling against the best batters Premium

Harshit Rana, a promising fast bowler, impresses with his pace, bounce, and temperament, earning a spot in India's Test squad.

At a glance, Harshit Rana satisfies all the prerequisites of the modern-day fast bowler. He cranks it up to the mid-140s (kph) on the speed gun, generates good bounce with his 6’2” frame, and moves the ball enough either way to keep the batter guessing. When playing cricket of the white-ball variety, he also has a cunning slower ball. And to complement it all, he has a fiery temperament that means he doesn’t shy away from offering a send-off once he has outsmarted the batter at the other end.

The 22-year-old has been around the scene for the last two years to exhibit these traits, but the process of fast-tracking him into the Indian set-up began in earnest once he excelled for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in this year’s Indian Premier League (IPL). He claimed 19 wickets in 13 matches to finish as joint-second-highest wicket-taker. More significantly, he often bowled the most demanding overs, standing up to the pressure that is intrinsic to a T20 contest.

With Gautam Gambhir, who served as KKR’s mentor during the IPL, going on to become India’s head coach, there has been no harm done to the pacer’s ambitions.

Since the IPL, the youngster has featured regularly in India’s white-ball squads. On Friday night, he ticked another box by earning selection in India’s 18-member contingent for the five-Test tour of Australia starting on November 22. This was after he had spent time with the Test team as a travelling reserve in the ongoing series against New Zealand. He celebrated the Test call-up by bagging his second five-wicket haul in First Class cricket, for Delhi against Assam in the Ranji Trophy, on Sunday in only his 10th appearance.

At the end of the day’s play in the domestic fixture, he spoke about the excitement of touring Australia, spending time with the Indian team in recent months and the role of coach Gautam Gambhir in his rise. Excerpts:

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I found out only when the team was announced on Friday (October 25). But I had a sense that I could be going to Australia because they had kept me with the team and were preparing me. Regarding how I feel, it is a very big thing for a player to be going to Australia. For my father, the dream is to see me play at Lord’s in England, but for me, it has always been Australia. The competitiveness and attitude that I have on the field, I like playing the kind of cricket that Australia does. I am very proud that my name features in the squad.