In a move that has sparked huge debate among cricket fans and experts, India’s current strategy under Gautam Gambhir has once again given clear priority to batting depth over traditional bowling balance. The recent selection of Harshit Rana ahead of Arshdeep Singh is not just a random call; This is reportedly part of a well-planned plan by Gambhir.
From the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 to the Asia Cup 2025 and even the England tour, Gambhir’s blueprint has revolved around ensuring that India bat deep at number eight. The idea is simple but bold: players up to number eight should be able to contribute with the bat.
Harshit Rana was selected in place of Arshdeep Singh as India’s focus is on batting till number eight.
This mentality was on full display during India’s ongoing five-match T20I series in Australia. The Men in Blue fielded three spinners and chose Harshit Rana in place of Arshdeep Singh for the first T20I in Canberra despite the six-degree cold temperature, which is more suited to fast bowlers.
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The decision was not just tactical for the match, but it was a glimpse of India’s vision for the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2026. As per the report by RevSportz, India’s potential bowling core is taking shape around Jasprit Bumrah, Harshit Rana and Kuldeep Yadav.
India’s bowling attack for the upcoming tournament will include Jasprit Bumrah, Harshit Rana, Kuldeep Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Varun Chakravarthy and Axar Patel, providing the team with the variety and lower-order batting stability that Gambhir is desperate for.
However, Arshdeep Singh’s ability cannot be ignored. Arshdeep Singh is India’s highest T20 wicket taker with 101 wickets at an average of 18.76. Recently, Arshdeep Singh has also worked on improving his batting skills, a glimpse of which was visible in the India vs Australia 2nd ODI in Adelaide.
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On the batting front, the players have made almost everything sure. Shubhman Gill and Abhishek Sharma are set to continue opening, followed by Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Verma and Sanju Samson to form a powerful middle-order for the ICC T20 World Cup 2026.
There is no place for Arshdeep Singh in Gambhir’s aggressive and fearless cricket, at least right now. If India’s current outlook is any indication, the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 will have the same lineup that was fielded in Canberra, including Pandya, who is currently recovering from injury.
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The first match of the T-20 series in Canberra was canceled due to rain.
Meanwhile, the first T20 match between India and Australia was abandoned due to continuous rain in Canberra. Earlier, Australia captain Mitchell Marsh won the toss and decided to bowl first amid cloudy skies.
Indian openers Shubman Gill and Abhishek Sharma came out with aggressive intent and hit fours in style before Nathan Ellis was out early.
Soon after, the drizzle turned into continuous rain, forcing the players off the field. The ground staff worked tirelessly and after several interruptions the match was reduced to 18 overs per side. When play resumed, India looked determined to make up for lost time.
Suryakumar Yadav and Shubman Gill mounted a brilliant counter-attack, with the Indian skipper’s trademark flicks and Gill’s smooth drives astounding the sparse crowd, which also braved the weather. As India began to dominate at 97/1 in 9.4 overs, the skies opened up again.
Despite several attempts to restart play, the situation worsened and the umpires had no option but to abandon the match. Along with Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Ellis was the only wicket-taker in the opening match of the five-match T20I series against India on 29 October.
