Indian National Cricket Team fast bowler Harshit Rana was all set to make his debut for the team in the ongoing last T20I against the Bangladesh National Cricket Team. The dead match between the teams takes place at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad.
Ahead of the third T20I against the Bangladesh national cricket team, assistant coach Ryan Ten Doeschate dropped a big hint about Harshit Rana’s India debut. He said that they are interested in giving the fast bowler a game in Indian colours.
BCCI provides update on Harshit Rana
But his debut was denied due to the viral infection he faced. Harshit Rana did not travel with the team and was not available for selection for the third T20I against the Bangladesh national cricket team. The development was confirmed by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), which stated:
“Mr Harshit Rana was not available for selection for the third T20I due to a viral infection and did not travel with the team to the stadium.”
UPDATE: Mr Harshit Rana was not available for selection for the third T20I due to a viral infection and did not travel with the team to the stadium.#TeamIndia | #INDvBAN | @IDFCFIRSTBank
-BCCI (@BCCI) October 12, 2024
Harshit Rana did not get a chance to play in the first two matches. But he has been in the Indian National Cricket Team setup for a while now. He has been traveling with the team for a while now and it won’t be a surprise if he makes his debut soon for the Suryakumar Yadav-led team.
Harshit Rana has been one of the most interesting players in Indian domestic cricket. He has given consistent performances for his team and was also at his best in IPL 2024 where he helped Kolkata Knight Riders win their third title.
KKR can now retain Harshit Rana in the uncapped players section
Since Harshit Rana will not be debuting for India, it will be a big relief for his Kolkata Knight Riders franchise. The winners of IPL 2024 will now be able to retain him in the uncapped player category. Each franchise in the league can retain unlimited players at the price of INR 4 crore.
Meanwhile, the Indian national cricket team opted to bat first in the ongoing third T20I against the Bangladesh national cricket team. The Suryakumar Yadav-led team has made one change to the team, bringing in Ravi Bishnoi in place of fast bowler Arshdeep Singh, who was rested during the game.
India captain Suryakumar Yadav said that by opting to bat first, they are working on their ability to set the target and defend the total with dew around. He mentioned that they want to give the players freedom so that they can make an impact. Speaking during the draw, he explained:
“We would like to bat first, it looks like a good wicket. These are the things we want to do. Set a target and defend the total with dew around. I think it is important to continue the good habits, it will have a good impact.” “We just want to give freedom, the boys want to make an impact. Happy with the way they are playing, Arshdeep goes out, Bishnoi comes in.”
India and Bangladesh play 11 for the third T20I
Bangladesh (Playing
India (Playing XI): Sanju Samson (w), Abhishek Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav (c), Nitish Reddy, Hardik Pandya, Riyan Parag, Rinku Singh, Washington Sundar, Varun Chakaravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, Mayank Yadav.