Young India pacer Harshit Rana has opened up about the efforts he is putting in to improve at the highest level, after recording his best figures in the third and final ODI against Australia in Sydney, which India won by nine wickets.
“I was like this before – I just wanted to go out and bowl fast. I always wanted to go and give my heart out. But the support staff changed my approach, saying: ‘You go and give your heart out, but with your brain as well,’” Rana told JioHotstar after the match.
Rana dismissed Alex Carey, Mitchell Owen, Cooper Connolly, and Josh Hazlewood to finish with career-best figures of 4/39 at an economy rate of 4.50. The momentum shifted with Owen’s wicket, thanks to a clever field placement inspired by former captain Rohit Sharma.
“Shubman asked me if I wanted a slip. I told him I didn’t need one. Rohit bhai was standing in the covers, and he said: ‘Hey, take the slip. I will go and stand there.’ Then I got the wicket, and I thanked him. He told me about it after the wicket,” Rana added.
After leaking a lot of runs in the first two ODIs, the 23-year-old bounced back strongly in the dead-rubber match. His efforts helped India avoid a series whitewash. Not only did he dismantle Australia’s middle order, but he also justified the faith shown in him by the team management.
Rana finished as the highest wicket-taker in the ODI series, claiming six wickets in three matches at an average of 20.38 and an economy rate of 6.04.
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