Harshit Rana had a unbelievable T20I debut on Friday with the Indian cricket group pacer scalping three essential wickets towards England within the fourth T20I in Pune. Nevertheless, Rana grabbed the highlight after he got here in as a ‘like-for-like’ concussion substitute for Shivam Dube. The latter, who scored 53, was hit on the helmet within the penultimate ball of the Indian innings by a Jamie Overton supply. Following the obligatory concussion take a look at, Dube was cleared to play. Nevertheless, he was run out on the ultimate supply of the innings. Dube is a tempo allrounder, whereas Rana has thus far performed the function of specialist quick bowler within the Indian cricket group.
The choice to play Rana rather than Dube nearly drew related response from a number of former cricketers, who felt that it was not a ‘like for like’ substitute.
“It is probably not a like-for-like substitute if Harshit bowls….which he ought to. Ramandeep was the best ‘concussion substitute’ for Dube,” former India opener Aakash Chopra wrote on X.
“How can an out & out bowler substitute a batter who bowls half time !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” former England captain Michael Vaughan wrote on X.
How can an out & out bowler substitute a batter who bowls half time !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! #INDvsENG
— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) January 31, 2025
Former India coach Ravi Shatri was cheeky and stated the 2 gamers’ “dimension and stature are the identical”.
“India have been massively advantaged with Harshit Rana coming in,” Harsha Bhogle stated on air.
“His efficiency was nice. He will get his title within the hat to have an opportunity to play within the fifth T20I. He was good. He assessed the batters fairly properly on a few event. He was not at fault. It isn’t the choice that he takes,” Kevin Pietersen stated after the match.
Harshit Rana picked his maiden wicket within the shortest format of the sport as he dismissed Liam Livingstone within the twelfth over of the innings. Livingstone went again to the pavilion after scoring simply 9 runs off 13 balls.
In his second over, the right-arm seamer conceded 18 runs in his over the place he was slammed for 2 sixes and a 4 by the vice-captain and right-hand batter Harry Brook.
The 23-year-old participant took his second T20I wicket on his debut within the third over as he dismissed the left-hand batter, Jacob Bethell, who went again to the dressing room after scoring simply six runs from 9 balls.
In his final over of the spell, the quick bowler gave away simply six runs and took the wicket of Jamie Overton on the final ball of his spell. The speedster completed his spell with a figures of 4-0-33-3.
With company inputs
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