Watch: Harshit Rana-Mitchell Starc collide on field; Australian pacer sledges KKR teammate

Australia cricketer Mitchell Starc's sledge to young Indian fast bowler Harshit Rana was caught on the stump mic on Day 2 of the ongoing first Test match in Perth. Rana remained calm and composed even as Starc tried to sledge him at the Optus Stadium on Saturday, November 23.

The Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) series is known for its intensity and entertainment, with both cricket teams striving to outperform each other. The ongoing Test series is no different, featuring fierce competition in all aspects of the game, including batting, bowling, fielding, and sledging.

Watch: Mitchell Starc's Sledge to Harshit Rana Caught on Stump Mic

The incident took place on the fifth ball of the 30th over in Australia's first innings. Mitchell Starc tried to have banter with Harshit Rana. Starc was seemingly trying to disrupt Rana's concentration by saying he could bowl faster. His response came after being struck on the glove by a short-of-length delivery.

"I bowl faster than you, and I've got a long memory," Starc said to Rana after receiving a bouncer.

Mitch Starc offers a little warning to Harshit Rana 😆#AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/KoFFsdNbV2

— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) November 23, 2024

It is worth mentioning that Starc and Rana played together for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024. The Shreyas Iyer-led team emerged victorious after beating Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the final. Rana was retained by KKR, but Starc was on the list of released players.

Harshit Rana Makes Test Debut for Team India in Perth

Harshit Rana made his Test debut for India during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series opener. The Delhi pacer received his Test cap from Ravichandran Ashwin. He impressed with his bowling by dismissing Travis Head for 11 with a brilliant delivery. Rana finished the day with figures of 1/33 on Day 1.

The right-arm pacer continued his aggression on the second day's play. He picked up the wicket of Nathan Lyon, who scored 5 runs off 16 balls. Rana bowled a short-pitched delivery that arrived before Lyon could shape his hands and smashed the glove. KL Rahul completed a simple catch in the slips.

We Should Have Played Him In Mumbai - Aakash Chopra

In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra lauded Rana for dismissing Travis Head in Australia's first innings. However, Chopra expressed mixed feelings about Rana's debut, adding that India could have better prepared him by giving him a chance during the New Zealand series.

"I am 50-50. The one wicket he has taken, that too Travis Head, I thought great. When he bowled from around the stumps, the ball came in with the angle, went out slightly after pitching, and Travis Head was beaten all ends up. I thought if something like this had happened on 19 November 2023, the trophy would have been ours," he said.

"If we had to play Harshit Rana, we should have played him in Mumbai. Bumrah wasn't available. You could have played him there and then given him a chance to play for India A," Chopra added.

Also Read: Watch: Marnus Labuschagne blows a kiss at Harshit Rana; Virat Kohli bursts into laughter