What could be Harshit Rana’s role in the shortest format of the game? The likely answer from a think-tank would be, ‘You have to take wickets in the middle overs by mainly bowling hard lengths’. After all, the 6’2″ tall bowler is known for hitting higher up on the splice with his heavy ball.
In the 2024 IPL, while playing for KKR, everything seemed to go according to the plan as he took nine wickets at an average of 14.9 in the middle phase of the innings. In the very next IPL, the same bowler could only bag three scalps at an average of 52.7 in the middle overs. His economy rate of 10.53 during that phase was also on the higher side compared to IPL 2024 when it stood at 7.88.
It is difficult to sit on a chair and analyse what could have gone wrong for Harshit in especially the middle phase of the innings in the recently concluded IPL. But if you scratch the surface, you may get a few answers. One of the hypotheses could be that the KKR backroom staff also looked at him as an enforcer in the Powerplay overs. With Mitchell Starc also not in the mix, Harshit ended up bowling 19 overs in the Powerplay, taking seven wickets at an average of just under 30.
However, that still doesn’t answer why he struggled with his main role of making inroads in the second phase. In the last year’s IPL, it was noticeable that Harshit was imparting enough revs on the ball when he tried the off-cutter. Probably, he couldn’t generate as much revs this year.
In addition to it, in comparison to Gujarat Titans’ Prasidh Krishna, Harshit seemed to offer width more often when he looked to hit the deck hard and bowl short of a length or on a good length. This point gains significance as Prasidh is the other contender for the hit-the-deck pace option in the Indian pace-bowling ranks. Incidentally, Prasidh went on to take home the Purple Cap by finishing as the highest wicket-taker of the season.
Despite Prasidh’s noteworthy performance in the IPL, the Indian coaching staff seem to be favouring Harshit for the upcoming Asia Cup. In some ways, it is understandable as Harshit was a part of India’s limited-overs assignments against England and in the Champions Trophy. If that is the case, then the well-built fast bowler needs to go back to the drawing board and visualise his key strengths and execute them when the India captain gives him the ball in a T20 game.
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