Harshit Rana: India's Rising ODI Star, Says Abhinav Mukund

Harshit Rana Shines as India's Top ODI Bowler

New Delhi, June 30: Abhinav Mukund, a former Indian opener, has praised pacer Harshit Rana as the standout ODI bowler for India over the past few years, noting his significant batting potential as well.

During his appearance on 'The Great Indian Cricket Show' aired on Doordarshan, Mukund, who has played seven Tests for India, discussed the team's strategy of blending bowling variations with essential lower-order batting strength.

Mukund elaborated on the differences between Nitish Kumar Reddy and Hardik Pandya, emphasizing why Rana deserves a spot in the ODI lineup. He stated, “Harshit Rana possesses considerable batting talent. The Indian team management has great faith in him, believing he can contribute effectively at number 8. For me, he is a guaranteed selection for ODIs. We tend to mix formats a bit, and Harshit has been the top-performing ODI bowler in the last two to three years.”

In his 14 ODIs, Rana has claimed 26 wickets with an average of 27.38, including a four-wicket haul and 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.

Mukund also pointed out the unique strengths of both Nitish Kumar and Hardik Pandya, suggesting that if Nitish can deliver overs with the new ball and during the middle overs, it’s crucial to assess their strengths at different phases of the game.

Currently, both players are dealing with injuries. Hardik has been excluded from the T20I and ODI squads leading up to the Asian Games, while Nitish missed the T20Is against Ireland and England due to injury, allowing all-rounder Suryansh Shedge to step in.