Gautam Gambhir’s mate calls Harshit Rana India’s weakest link, claims 4 opposition bowlers are far superior

Former Team India batter Robin Uthappa shared his thoughts on the 15-member squad for the upcoming 2025 Asia Cup and stated that Harshit Rana was the most vulnerable selection. Uthappa also picked several bowlers from rival Asian teams who were strong enough to earn a spot in India’s lineup ahead of Rana.

The eight teams, comprising India, Pakistan, Oman, UAE, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Hong Kong, will compete in the Asia Cup 2025, which will begin on September 9. India are placed in Group A with UAE, Pakistan, and Oman. They will open their campaign against the UAE on September 10 in Dubai.

Robin Uthappa 4 Rivals Who Could Replace Harshit Rana

In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Robin Uthappa said that Harshit Rana and Shivam Dube are the weakest links in the Indian squad. He picked players from other participating teams who could strengthen India’s 15-member squad for the upcoming Asia Cup 2025.

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However, the former batter ruled out players from Pakistan and the associate nations as viable options for inclusion. Uthappa picked Naveen-ul-Haq and Fazalhaq Farooqi from Afghanistan as potential replacements for Harshit Rana.

The cricketer-turned-expert chose Taskin Ahmed from Bangladesh and Matheesha Pathirana from Sri Lanka, who could be considered ahead of Harshit in the squad. He added that Sri Lanka’s Chamika Karunaratne and Afghanistan’s Karim Janat could serve as backup options for Hardik Pandya.

Harshit Rana Joins Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh in India’s Asia Cup Squad

Harshit Rana is among the three specialist seamers alongside Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh in the squad. Notably, Mohammed Siraj was left out of the squad.

Harshit has so far played only one T20I for India. He made his debut as a concussion substitute for Shivam Dube in the fourth T20I against England in Pune in January 2025. He recorded figures of 3-33 by dismissing Liam Livingstone, Jacob Bethell, and Jamie Overton.

Rana began his IPL career with Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in 2022. He has taken 40 wickets in 34 matches for the franchise at an average of 25.72, with a strike rate of 16.2 and an economy of 9.51. The pacer recorded his best performance of 3-24 against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in IPL 2024.

The young pacer was instrumental in KKR’s IPL 2024 title-winning campaign. He picked up 19 wickets in 13 matches at an average of 20.15 and an economy rate of 9.08. However, he was less effective in IPL 2025, taking 15 wickets in 13 matches at an average of 29.86 and an economy rate of 10.18.

Team India Looks to Break Tie with Sri Lanka in T20 Asia Cups

India are preparing for the Asia Cup 2025 under Suryakumar Yadav. They had an underwhelming campaign in 2022 when the tournament was last played in the T20I format. The Men in Blue last lifted the T20 Asia Cup trophy in the inaugural edition of 2015-16.

Sri Lanka claimed the 2022 title by defeating Pakistan in the final. India and Sri Lanka remain neck-and-neck in the race for dominance in the Asia Cup arena.

Team India will feature in Group A, alongside Pakistan, Oman, and the UAE in the upcoming tournament. India will play their first match against the UAE in Dubai on September 10. The event will follow a group stage, the Super Four phase, and the final, set to be played on September 28.

Also read: Suryakumar Yadav shamelessly accepts defeat vs Pakistan but vows to sledge them