Former Team India opener Kris Srikkanth made a big statement about the performance of young fast bowler Harshit Rana in the second ODI against Australia at Adelaide Oval on Thursday, 24 October. The cricketer-turned-commentator said that if India had won, Rana could have been adjudged player of the match.
India, led by Shubman Gill, retained Harshit Rana in the playing eleven for the second ODI against Australia, while left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav remained on the bench. The decision to retain Rana was criticized and sparked debate among fans on social media.
Rana was selected for both matches of the series so far, as India prioritized batting depth. The youngster had struggled in the series opener in Perth, taking figures of 0-27 from four overs during a rain-affected game.
Harshit Rana bowled very well in his first spell – Kris Srikkanth
Chris Srikkanth, who had earlier questioned Harshit Rana’s selection, was impressed by the young fast bowler’s opening spell in the second ODI. Srikkanth said that Rana took two important wickets and scored important 24 runs. However, he criticized Rana for his performance in the second spell.
Srikanth said on his YouTube channel, “He bowled very well in his first spell and took two good wickets. I thought India had won the match. In fact, when he took the second wicket, I thought he had a good chance of being player of the match with 24 runs and two wickets. But then, he bowled one short ball after another and collapsed.”
Australians love short-pitched bowling – Kris Srikkanth
Chris Srikkanth criticized Harshit Rana’s second spell in the second ODI, saying that the Australian players took advantage of the short-pitched balls. He said that Rana bowled effectively over the wicket but struggled when switching to around the wicket.
He further said, “There is no point bowling short at that pace. The Australians love short-pitched bowling and we have bowled them time and again. Harshit Rana bowls well when he comes up the wicket, but when he goes round the wicket he gets thrashed.”
“He took the confidence out of his innings with the first wicket. I thought his confidence came back after taking the second wicket. But after that he and the rest of the bowlers bowled Mitchell Owen and Cooper Connolly. He bowled the second spell very poorly. The first spell he bowled very well.”
Harshit Rana’s all-round performance in the second ODI against Australia
Harshit scored 24 runs in 18 balls with the help of three fours. He and Arshdeep Singh (13 off 14 balls) put on a 37-run partnership for the ninth wicket, taking India to 264/9 in 50 overs.
With the ball, Rana took important wickets including that of Travis Head and Matthew Short, but finished with figures of 2-59 from eight overs. However, Australia achieved the target with two wickets to spare and took an unassailable 2–0 lead in the series.
Rana, along with India’s other fast bowlers, struggled with cramps throughout the match, raising concerns about his fitness with just one day’s rest before the series decider. The third and final ODI match between India and Australia will take place on Saturday, October 25 at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
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