Harshit Rana may replace Bumrah in final Test after leading Delhi to win

Soon after helping Delhi register a 10-wicket win over Assam by scalping seven wickets, including a fifer in first innings, and scoring a half century, Harshit Rana was getting ready to fly to Mumbai, apparently to join the Indian cricket team.

First thing he did after giving interviews to media was get a haircut before packing his bags.

Rana would tell www.thedelhijunction.com only that he “has been called up for I don’t know what?”

The news from sources, however, is that the 22-year-old Rana is being looked up as a replacement for either Jasprit Bumrah or Akash Deep for the final Test against New Zealand at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.

Rana has played 10 first-class matches and picked 43 wickets. He also represented India A at the ACC Emerging Asia Cup and took 19 wickets in the Indian Premier League for Kolkata Knight Riders this year.

India have already lost the Test series to New Zealand, and are 0-2 down. The final Test is important because India need points to hold on to one of the two top spots and qualify for the World Test Championship Final next year.

There are speculations that the Indian team management don’t want to burden Bumrah and want to give Rana a feel of Test cricket before touring Australia. Rana is in the India squad for the tour of Australia. 

Delhi team coach Sarandeep Singh, a former national selector, spoke to media after the end of the match at the Ferozeshah Kotla ground, and said that Rana is ready for Test cricket.

“Rana totally showed he is ready to play Test matches. He took five wickets in the first innings. He made a half-century. And then he gave crucial breakthroughs in the second innings. [Money] Grewal also bowled fabulously coming into the team,” he said.

“If India want him to play, I would love to see [that]. If he ends up playing a Test before going to Australia, then it is better for Harshit and for India too that they get a good fast bowler.”

Sarandeep added that he had sounded out Rana that a good performance here would help him get a chance with the India team.

“I told Rana that he is on the verge of an opportunity for India and that he should take a fifer here. He got pumped up and delivered here. This is just how a coach talks. He is ready to play right now.”

Resuming the final day at 44/3, Assam folded for just 182. Grewal took 3/50 while Rana followed up his 5/80 in first innings with 2/61. He removed opener Rishav Das and No. 4 and skipper Denish Das on Tuesday, the final day of the match.

Delhi then chased the 59-run target, ending with 62/0 to earn seven points including a bonus.

Delhi took points against Chhattisgarh but conceded them to Tamil Nadu in the previous game as the bowling struggled.

"The problem was that the top order did not click in the first innings,” added Sarandeep.

“We started well with the ball taking wickets in first innings, but once there was a partnership, we found that we were not able to break it. That happened in our first game in Raipur too. We could have easily won there, but then Chhattisgarh batted well too. We need to realise that teams like Chhattisgarh and Assam are not like they were before. They are playing better these days. They are competitive teams. We have to understand that.”

He emphasised that the players need to have self-belief in order to win.

“The boys need to have belief that they can win. You have to feel that you are a champion and can do it. Winning is a habit. If you don't win, you won't get that habit. And if you don't win, you won't get confidence.”

Tags : Harshit Rana, Delhi cricket, India cricket, Ranji Trophy, INDvNZ, Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai