Indian fast bowler Harshit Rana has undergone a lot of criticism on social media and by some of the former players, including World Cup winner Krishnamachari Srikkanth. The 23-year-old on Saturday managed to pick up four wickets and played a crucial role in Australia getting bundled out for a mere 236 runs, which India chased with ease. After his performance, Srikkanth lauded Rana and said he looked like a confident bowler.
“So today Harshit Rana deserves all the praise. I am very happy for you. Yes, I criticized you a lot but at the end of the day, you’ve done very well. He has got his confidence back from the last match after scoring with the bat and from his first spell with the ball. The more he performs this way, his confidence will continue growing. Today he looked like a very confident bowler,” Srikkanth said on his YouTube channel.
“Harshit Rana bowled superbly. Taking four wickets in an ODI is a big achievement. My favourite was the wicket of Owen. It was a superb delivery and Rohit took a great catch. He bowled a terrific line and length. Last match he got clobbered at the death but this game, he bowled very well even at the death. He didn’t bowl short today and didn’t try too many slower ones,” he added.
Speaking at the Feroz Shah Kotla ground after India’s seven-wicket victory over West Indies to sweep the Test series 2-0, without taking names, Gambhir took aim at K Srikkanth for targeting Rana after the former World Cup winner and former India chief selector criticised the inclusion of the Delhi pacer in the squad that is travelling to Australia for three ODIs.
“Look, it’s a little shameful, and I’ll be honest with you. It’s unfair that you are not even sparing a 23-year-old kid to run your YouTube channels. It’s unfair because, after all, his father is not some ex-chairman, an ex-cricketer, or an NRI,” Gambhir told reporters here. “Whatever cricket he has played, he has played on his own merit, and in the future too, he will play on his own merit.”
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