Former India batsman Mohammad Kaif questioned Harshit Rana’s bowling after his performance in the second ODI against Australia in Adelaide on Thursday, October 24. Kaif admitted that he could not get a “strong ball” off Rana’s bowling, unlike fast bowlers like Mohammed Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah.
The right-arm fast bowler took the crucial wickets of Travis Head and Matthew Short but conceded 59 runs in his eight-over spell. However, India lost the match as Australia achieved the target of 265 runs with two wickets to spare. The host team has taken an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series with one game remaining.
Harshit Rana’s delivery is not strong – Mohammad Kaif
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Mohammad Kaif said that bowlers like Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj have power balls which trouble the batsmen. However, Kaif pointed out that Rana lacked obvious strengths like yorkers, inswingers or fast pace.
Kaif said, “I am following Harshit Rana a lot, but he does not have a power ball. It is not that he has a solid outswinger or inswinger. When we talk about Siraj or Bumrah, they have their own strengths, like their yorkers, pace or slowness. But I cannot understand what is the strength of Harshit Rana. It is not that he bowls more than 140. Are.”
Harshit Rana will have to bring more skills to beat the batsmen – Mohammad Kaif
The former cricketer said that it is unfair to Kuldeep Yadav, who was left out of the playing eleven. He said that Rana can be effective with his variations of pace in high-scoring situations, but he needs more skill to outwit the opponent.
Kaif further said, “Play either Rana or Reddy, because both of them cannot play together. It is clearly unfair to sit Kuldeep Yadav out for this.”
He said, “When the required rate is 9 or 10 runs per over, Harshit Rana is effective because his strength is the change of pace. But when the batsman is playing like Test cricket, when the required rate is around 5 or 6 runs per over, the bowler has to bring more skill to get the batsman out when playing in third gear.”
India would have won this game – Mohammad Kaif
Mohammad Kaif said that the inclusion of Kuldeep Yadav could have changed the result of the second ODI against Australia. He said that with turn and grip on the surface, Yadav could trouble Australia’s inexperienced middle order.
Kaif said, “Had Kuldeep been in the team, I give you a 100 per cent guarantee that India would have won this game. When Zampa can come in and change the game by dismissing some big names, when the surface was getting grip and turn, think what Kuldeep could have done against this inexperienced Australian middle order.”
“It’s a do-or-die match, you’re not playing him, and Zampa, who wasn’t even there in the last match, came back and took man of the match. Kuldeep Yadav is a thousand times a better bowler than Adam Zampa,” he concluded.
Team India has retained the same playing eleven as in the first ODI, due to which Kuldeep Yadav has once again been dropped. Adam Zampa dominated the Indian batting lineup, finishing with 4-60 and earning the Player of the Match award.
Kuldeep’s record at the Sydney Cricket Ground, the venue of the third ODI, is strong. He took his first overseas five-wicket haul in Tests during the 2018–19 Border-Gavaskar series and has taken three wickets in the last two white-ball games at the SCG.
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