Former Indian cricketer and commentator Sanjay Manjrekar on Sunday singled out fast bowler Harshit Rana for high praise, labeling the young pacer as a crucial discovery for the national team's bowling arsenal. Manjrekar's comments came during the first One-Day International between India and New Zealand in Vadodara.
Manjrekar's Verdict on a Rising Star
Speaking on the JioHotstar pre-match show, Manjrekar emphasized Rana's value as a multi-phase bowler. "Harshit Rana is one of the finds of the Indian team as far as the bowling is concerned," Manjrekar stated. He elaborated that Rana has demonstrated a rare ability to be effective throughout an innings.
"He can bowl in all phases of the game," Manjrekar explained. "Against South Africa, we saw how he exploits the new ball really well against experienced batters. When he returns for his second or third spells, he uses his T20 skillset to set up dismissals of batters who are looking to take bowlers on."
Solving the Middle-Over Puzzle
Manjrekar specifically highlighted the seamer's potential impact in the middle overs, an area where Indian pacers have sometimes struggled to take wickets. The former batsman believes Rana's inclusion addresses this gap.
"All in all, he adds to the wicket-taking ability that Indian seamers have been lacking in the middle overs," Manjrekar added. "So, by his inclusion, the Indian bowling lineup seems quite complete."
Team News from Vadodara
Meanwhile, on the field, India captain Shubman Gill won the toss and elected to bowl first in the series opener at Vadodara's ground. Gill revealed his intention to experiment with the team's balance, stating he wants to "try different combinations and see how that works."
Reflecting this approach, India's playing XI for the match featured six bowling options. The spin department was handled by Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, and Ravindra Jadeja. The pace attack, which included the praised Harshit Rana, was led by Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna.
For New Zealand, captain Michael Bracewell confirmed that Kristian Clarke would be making his ODI debut in this match. This game marks the beginning of a three-match ODI series between the two cricketing nations.
Looking Ahead
The strong endorsement from an analyst like Manjrekar places a significant spotlight on Harshit Rana's development. His performance in this series and his ability to fulfill the role of a versatile, wicket-taking seamer will be closely watched by the team management and fans alike. As India continues to build towards future ICC events, identifying and nurturing such multi-dimensional bowlers remains a top priority.
