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Key Points

Former spinner Amit Mishra has come out in strong support of Harshit Rana's controversial selection for the Australia tour. He believes the young pacer's wicket-taking ability and swing bowling make him perfectly suited for Australian conditions. Mishra drew parallels to Jasprit Bumrah's early career, noting how opportunities helped him develop into a world-class bowler. The veteran spinner emphasized that testing youngsters across formats is crucial for their growth and team building.

Key Points: Amit Mishra Backs Harshit Rana for Australia Tour Citing Bumrah

  • Mishra emphasizes Harshit's swing and pace troubling Australian batsmen
  • He cites Bumrah's journey from newcomer to world's best bowler
  • Harshit's 15 IPL wickets for KKR demonstrate his current form
  • Youngsters need opportunities across formats to prove their potential
3 min read

When Bumrah came... : Former spinner Amit Mishra gives his take on Harshit Rana's inclusion for Australia tour

Former spinner Amit Mishra defends Harshit Rana's ODI selection, highlights his wicket-taking ability and compares his potential to Jasprit Bumrah's early career.

"When Bumrah came, he was new, and he got the chance to perform. Slowly, he started playing all formats. - Amit Mishra"

New Delhi, October 10

Former leg-spinner Amit Mishra weighed in on the backlash that young speedster Harshit Rana has faced, which stems from his inclusion across three formats and the support he has received from head coach Gautam Gambhir and his regime.

Since the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced India's white-ball squads for the Australia tour, scheduled to commence on October 19, fans and former cricketers have been debating the removal of Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill's promotion to the ODI captaincy. Apart from the shift in leadership hierarchy, Harshit's inclusion in the 50-over fixtures has raised many eyebrows.

Former captain Krishnamachari Srikkanth and decorated spinner Ravichandran Ashwin shared their thoughts on the 23-year-old's inclusion in the format, classifying it as "questionable". Mishra believes Harshit's "wicket-taking" ability makes him an ideal fit for the tour. Apart from his special skill, the 42-year-old advocated for the youngster to prosper, courtesy of the swing and length he generates, a factor that troubles the Australian batters.

"He has swing, length and pace. He constantly bowls in the range of 135 to 140 kph. The best thing about him is that he has the wicket-taking ability, which is important in Australia. Their batters struggle against swing, as well as line and length. If you give someone a chance, only then will the player get experience. The management is looking at youngsters, and Harshit is among them," Mishra said while speaking exclusively to ANI.

Mishra highlighted Harshit's recent exploits, which saw him scalp 15 wickets in 13 appearances for Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL, to emphasise the youngster's scorching form. Among his most recent outings, Harshit scythed 3/61 during India A's nerve-jangling win over Australia A in Kanpur during the third unofficial List A fixture.

The former Indian ball tweaker emphasised the need to provide youngsters with opportunities to prove themselves. He even cited Jasprit Bumrah as an example, who entered the Indian setup as a potential prospect and went on to become the current world's best.

"He has done well for the Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL. He should get the chance. When Bumrah came, he was new, and he got the chance to perform. Slowly, he started playing all formats. So this is how it happens: a player is tested in different formats. The best thing is that everyone is getting the opportunity. Youngsters have the opportunity to show their potential," he added.

India's ODI squad: Shubman Gill (Captain), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer (VC), Axar Patel, KL Rahul (WK), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Mohammed Siraj, Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna, Dhruv Jurel (WK), Yashasvi Jaiswal.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
But why drop Rohit as captain? He just won us the T20 World Cup! Gill is talented but captaincy experience matters. This seems like too many changes at once 😕
A
Aman W
Harshit's IPL performance was impressive! 15 wickets in 13 matches for KKR shows he can handle pressure. Australia conditions need bowlers who can swing the ball - he might surprise us all!
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Sarah B
As someone who follows cricket closely, I think we need to trust the selectors. They see these players in domestic circuits and nets. Gambhir knows what he's doing with young talent.
V
Vikram M
When Srikkanth and Ashwin both question the selection, we should listen. Harshit might be good, but is he ready for all three formats against Australia? That's a big jump from domestic cricket.
K
Kavya N
Young blood is important for Indian cricket! We can't keep relying on the same players forever. Harshit's pace and swing could be exactly what we need against Australian batsmen. All the best to him! 🏏

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