Indians are sports-loving beings. They are incredibly emotional about the sport they follow and leave no stone unturned in analysing everyone’s day-to-day performances. On the other hand, when someone is in the public eye, it is inevitable for them to be loved, respected, and even worshipped when they live up to audience expectations. But the moment things do not go their way, or they underperform, athletes immediately come on the radar of trolls – often the very same lovers of the game. Abuse is hurled with no sense of boundaries or decency, with even the youngest of the lot being on the receiving end.
Twenty-four-year-old Harshit Rana is one such name who has been scrutinised and criticised literally every step of the way, regardless of his performance. His social media handles are drenched in negativity, with some even accusing him of being favoured unjustly and of being a product of nepotism. However, he is also someone who has shown considerable improvement in his bowling and overall performance over a period of time.
In the first ODI against New Zealand, eyebrows were once again raised regarding his inclusion in the playing XI, but the young talent did not fail to justify his spot in the team. He broke a dangerous 117-run opening partnership between Devon Conway and Henry Nicholls, adding both wickets to his bag of dismissals. Both batters were well set and beginning to look dangerous when Harshit stepped up and provided the much-needed breakthroughs. Additionally, he kept things tight in the powerplay, maintaining his line and length, and along with Siraj, made it difficult for the openers to get going early on.
He was a bit expensive in the 22nd over, bowling short balls that were pulled twice to the boundary by Nicholls. However, Harshit immediately changed his plan by bowling a slower off-cutter. Nicholls attempted to play it but only managed an edge and was caught behind by wicketkeeper KL Rahul. Rana did not stop there. He struck again in the 24th over, changing his pace and delivering a full ball around off stump. Conway attempted an off-drive but got a thick inside edge that crashed into the stumps. In short, he set the batters up beautifully and executed his plan to perfection.
Just when it seemed the Harshit show was over, he stepped up in a different role – with the bat. When he walked in, India had just lost both set batters, Virat Kohli and Shreyas Iyer. With Washington Sundar’s batting uncertain due to a side strain sustained during bowling, the team had only one reliable batter left – Rahul. The sudden middle-order collapse came out of the blue, and the match could have swung either way.
Harshit, however, stayed calm. He built a crucial 37-run partnership, and his aggressive approach allowed Rahul to anchor the innings without taking unnecessary risks. Batting down the order, Rana scored 29 runs at a brilliant strike-rate of 126, including two fours and a massive six over deep mid-wicket off debutant Kristian Clarke. His cameo was not just effective; it came at a time when Indian fans were on the verge of losing hope.
As mentioned by Harshit in the press conference, the team management is keen on grooming him as an all-rounder. He will be looking forward to the new challenge ahead, with this performance acting as a major confidence booster. He was impressive with the ball in the ODI series against Australia as well. Even though India lost the series 2–1, Harshit finished as the highest wicket-taker with six wickets. In the third ODI, he picked up four wickets, dismantling the Australian middle and lower order, while also contributing significantly with the bat in the second ODI at Adelaide (24 off 18 balls).
The hate he receives on social media is unfortunate and has been addressed by the likes of Ajinkya Rahane and Harsha Bhogle during live broadcasts. While it is true that he can work on his consistency, progress for a young athlete is never linear. Harshit will have his ups and downs, but he is likely to find his rhythm eventually. With the gradual improvement he has shown, having an all-rounder at No. 8 who can also bowl effectively could prove to be a significant asset for India.
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