Abhinav Mukund Praises Harshit Rana as India's Top ODI Bowler

Harshit Rana's Rising Star in Indian Cricket

Former Indian cricketer Abhinav Mukund has lauded pacer Harshit Rana, declaring him as the standout ODI bowler for India over the past two to three years. Mukund emphasized Rana's potential with the bat as well.

Mukund, who has played seven Test matches for India, shared his insights during an appearance on 'The Great Indian Cricket Show' aired on Doordarshan.

He discussed the team's strategy of balancing bowling variations while ensuring depth in lower-order batting. Mukund highlighted the differences between Nitish Kumar Reddy and Hardik Pandya, explaining why Rana deserves a spot in the ODI lineup.

Harshit Rana's ODI Credentials

Mukund stated, "Harshit Rana possesses significant batting potential. The Indian team management has great faith in him, believing he can contribute at number 8. For me, he is a guaranteed selection for ODIs. We tend to mix formats, and Harshit has been the top-performing ODI bowler recently."

Statistics of Harshit Rana

In his 14 ODIs, Harshit has claimed 26 wickets with an average of 27.38, including a four-wicket haul, and maintains an economy rate of 6.21. In the recent T20I series against Ireland, he took four wickets at an average exceeding 10, with his best figures being 3/24.

Evaluating All-Rounder Choices

Mukund further elaborated, "Nitish Kumar and Hardik Pandya have different strengths. If Nitish can bowl effectively with the new ball and during the middle overs, it’s essential to assess their strengths at various phases of the game."

Currently, both players are dealing with injuries. Hardik has not been selected for any T20I or ODI squads leading up to the Asian Games, while Nitish missed the T20Is against Ireland and England due to injury, paving the way for all-rounder Suryansh Shedge.