On Thursday (July 18), the BCCI announced India’s squad for the upcoming three-match ODI series against Sri Lanka. India will visit Sri Lanka soon for three ODIs and as many T20Is.
The selectors have surprised many by including Harshit Rana, who has not played for the national team, in the squad. Though the right-hander had performed well in this year’s IPL, not many expected him to find a place in the ODI series. In the IPL 2024, Harshit Rana played a major role in the Kolkata Knight Riders’ triumphant campaign.
He finished the competition as the fifth-highest wicket-taker, with 19 wickets in 11 games, as KKR won the IPL after a long gap of 10 years. After performing well in the IPL, Harshit Rana initially failed to make the cut for the T20I series against Zimbabwe.
However, he was later added to the squad for the first two games of the 5-match series after some members could not join the team in time following the T20 World Cup victory.
Rana could not get a chance in the starting XI for the series against Zimbabwe and is not included in the T20I squad for the Sri Lanka series. However, he has been named in the ODI squad. And the call-up has generated different kinds of reactions.
Here are some of the reactions to Harshit Rana’s inclusion in the ODI squad:
This is an injustice to Hardik Pandya. Yes, this is coming from his biggest enemy.
Wife betrayed me, IPL was bad, I went back to WT20 and now I have lost the captaincy. Stay strong pandya!
Gautam Gambhir favours his favourite. Harshit Rana has been selected for the ODIs. LOL. photo.twitter.com/nUgnt9Lu8g
– Rajasthani Tau Ji (@Rajasthanii_Tau) July 18, 2024
Brother, I was hoping that the team selection would improve with the arrival of Gautam Gambhir, but here it has already worsened.
Wale’s performance player includes nhi
Now, what else does the player need to do to get selected, be it KKR, RCB or MI, because Harshit Rana’s selection seems to be the same?— CRICKET24*7🏏🏏 (@PandeyWinner) July 18, 2024
Worst team selection… BCCI Gambhir ke aage jhukh kya kya… Harisht rana is in the team but Mukesh is not in the team who has been with him for so many years, total team bias. @rawatrahul9 @vikrantgupta73
– Sharma @ nav (@Sharmanav2) July 18, 2024
#embarrassedbybcci #What a shame @GautamGambhir @imAagarkar
Give me a reason why they ruled it out?#Policy and personal grudges ruining his career.
Gambhir favors Harshit Rana, Shreyas Iyyer🤡 image.twitter.com/S9954AgRMj– pratik_khedekar_ (@khedekarpratik7) July 18, 2024
Iyer and Rana were the obvious inclusions as soon as Gambhir arrived, but I don’t understand Iyer Rahul and Pant as the middle order with only Axar next.
— 📊 (@onfieldumpire2) July 18, 2024
For me, the biggest headline is Harshit Rana in the ODIs. It doesn’t help that he plays for Delhi and KKR, where he has a direct connection with Gambhir.
Putting Hardik in the squad straight away in the T20 to play with Surya and Shubman is a humiliation. He could have been spared that treatment.
Goodbye too…
-GS Vivek (@GSV1980) July 18, 2024
Harshit Rana… Gambhir is here 🤣
– BeHappyDude💃 (@behappydude11) July 18, 2024
Ruturaj Gaikwad down… Gamhir is starting to do politics in Cricket now! Harshit Rana is chosen ahead of Avesh!!#IND vs SL
– Suryansh (@ Suryansh1329) July 18, 2024
Gambhir’s absolute favouritism towards KKR players
What is Harshit Rana doing in Odi’s?
Why is Gill VC when Hardik is in the team? 😮💨— jeet (@jeet34613985) July 18, 2024
Harshit Rana in ODI instead of T20 is a pure Gambhir quota 🤡🤡#IND vs SL #Gambhir #BCCI
— DevaraCult⚔️⚔️ (@romeo33399) July 18, 2024
Gambir wants Harshit Rana for Champions Trophy?
— poker__siva__ (@SivaMeena15682) July 18, 2024
For me, the biggest headline is Harshit Rana in the ODIs. It doesn’t help that he plays for Delhi and KKR, where he has a direct connection with Gambhir.
Putting Hardik in the squad straight away in the T20 to play with Surya and Shubman is a humiliation. He could have been spared that treatment.
Goodbye too…
-GS Vivek (@GSV1980) July 18, 2024
Congratulations to Harshit Rana for being selected in the ODI squad for the tour of Sri Lanka.
He is the future 🦁🇮🇳 photo.twitter.com/tdAjOdI4d0
— KKR die-hard supporter 🦁🇮🇳™ (@KKRWeRule) July 18, 2024
They have chosen harshit frog. This time we are going to witness a serious assault. 🥵 image.twitter.com/iXBHJs3Lvw
— Cheemrag (@itxcheemrag) July 18, 2024
Well rewarded: Harshit Rana makes it to the ODI squad! photo.twitter.com/uDgvjVgXVa
-Bhartendu Sharma (@Bhar10duSharma) July 18, 2024
Sanju Samson scored 100 in the last Odi against South Africa in December but he doesn’t get it and Riyan Parag does. It’s ridiculous
Ruturaj and Abhishek Sharma were dropped from the T20I squad and were not selected for the Odi squad.
Riyan Parag on both.Harshit Rana in Odis, when he acted in T20Is…
– Rishabh Wadhwa (@Cric_Rishabh) July 18, 2024
Harshit Rana? Gambhir has proved his presence as a coach.
—Santy (@Santy03_) July 18, 2024
Meanwhile, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have returned to the Indian ODI squad for the upcoming series. While both players were expected to be rested for the short series, they have made themselves available for India’s first ODI assignment of the year.
Rohit will lead the team while Shubman Gill has been named as his deputy. During last year’s ODI World Cup, Hardik Pandya was the vice-captain of the team while KL Rahul had led the team when both Pandya and Rohit were unavailable for the series against South Africa in December last year. However, the selectors and team management have given the responsibility to Gill.
Apart from Harshit Rana, Riyan Parag has also been called up for the first time to an ODI. The right-handed batsman made his debut in international cricket earlier this month during the T20I series against Zimbabwe. And though he failed to impress in his debut series, he has been given another chance. Shreyas Iyer has also returned to the ODI squad.
