Harshit Rana buried with Gautam Gambhir; Ravichandran Ashwin lays the wreath
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Former Indian spinner Ravichandra Ashwin didn't mince his words during the recent criticism of the Indian selectors for having picked Harshit Rana across every format of the game. He labelled it as a questionable move and even expressed the desire to be present during the selection meetings to know the exact reason behind the picks.
Pacer Harshit Rana has somehow managed to break into the Indian team across all three formats of the game, though his appearance in the Playing XI has been very limited. Even on the occasions of his participation, he has underperformed with the ball.
Harshit has also been picked for both the ODI and the T20I squads, which travel to Australia later this month, and many have suggested that it is due to his old connections with head coach Gautam Gambhir from KKR days that he has made him an all-format player.
Ravichandran Ashwin's brutal verdict on Harshit Rana's selection across all formats
The former Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has been surprised by the sudden evolution of the Indian pacer as the Men in Blue's three-format cricketer. He has also belittled Harshit Rana's batting ability, which is in sync with his not-so-impressive batting form until now.
"Why they are selecting him, I am not sure. I would love to be in the selection meeting to know the reason behind his inclusion. From my side, the reason I see is that in Australia, we need that fast bowler who can bat. Someone trusts that he can bat, which is why they are selecting him as a potential No. 8. But I am not sure about his batting ability."
"Two years back, he bowled a brilliant pacy delivery in the IPL final that flew off the edge (Nitish Kumar Reddy's dismissal). He has played for a while now for that one delivery," Ashwin said in a video on his YouTube channel.
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Ashwin backs Harshit Rana for his ability with the ball
Despite having criticized his selection initially, Ashwin did not fully disagree with his position, as he has no doubts about the amount of calibre the KKR pacer possesses.
"But he definitely has the ability with the ball. I will not accept it if someone says he doesn't have the skill. He definitely does. Such selections happen sometimes because you observe something from a player at close quarters and gain belief in him," Ashwin contradicted his own statement.
"Today, everyone hails Ravindra Jadeja as a great player. But a time was there when some asked why Ravindra Jadeja was getting picked. I've picked up 540 wickets, yet there were people who asked why I was getting picked," he added.
"Only when we face the music on the ground, we'll come to know," Ashwin throws open a challenge to the KKR pacer
Having contradicted himself on multiple occasions, Ashwin has left the ICT fans confused, but concluding to the fact that Harshit Rana has got some X-factor for sure, and only time will tell if his selection is right or wrong, he has provided a blunt verdict claiming that his selection in the team for now is very questionable.
"Many people make judgmental calls based on their assumptions. But only when we face the music on the ground, we'll come to know. Likewise, Harshit Rana might come across in some way from a distance. But only when you face a heavy ball from him, you'll understand that he has something."
"Whether he deserves selection or not is a secondary issue, but he's got some X-factor; let's not forget that. Yet, if you ask me if he deserves selection now, it's very questionable," said Ashwin.
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India National Cricket Team Ravichandran Ashwin Harshit Rana Gautam Gambhir Ajit Agarkar India tour of Australia India vs Australia
