Sanjay Manjrekar has dropped another massive remark, this time on the Indian bowling unit. He remarked that Harshit Rana‘s inclusion in the side has completed the Indian attack, as he brings along what India lacked, especially during the middle overs.
India have made several changes to their squad, especially in the bowling deck under Gautam Gambhir. Gambhir has not held onto the former Indian pace options and has picked players from the IPL, like Harshit Rana and Prasidh Krishna.
Rana has been a controversial name, as many felt that he has been handed too many opportunities by the selectors and the head coach. However, since the Australia tour, Harshit Rana has proven all words wrong and has given the exact reasons to be part of the team.
“Harshit Rana is one of the FINDS of the Indian team,” claimed Sanjay Manjrekar
Rana has not been regular to the Indian red-ball side but has been picked up occasionally in the squad; however, he has been very important in India’s pace attack in the ODIs. Rana has evolved as a serial wicket-taker for the Men in Blue.
Having risen to fame from the IPL, Harshit Rana was brought into the Indian side after his former Kolkata Knight Riders mentor Gautam Gambhir took over as the head coach of the Indian National team. Harshit, since then, has not let his coach down.
“Harshit Rana is one of the FINDS of the Indian team as far as the bowling is concerned. He can bowl in all phases of the game. Against South Africa, we saw how he exploits the new ball really well against experienced batters, and when he returns for his second or third spells, he uses his T20 skillset to set up dismissals of batters who are looking to take bowlers on,” opined Sanjay Manjrekar who heaped praises on the paceman.
“𝗛𝗮𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝘁 𝗥𝗮𝗻𝗮 is one of the FINDS of the Indian team as far as the bowling is concerned. He can bowl in all phases of the game. Against South Africa, we saw how he exploits the new ball really well against experienced batters, and when we returns for his second or…
— KolkataKnightRiders (@KKRiders) January 11, 2026
“Indian bowling lineup seems quite complete” – Sanjay Manjrekar
After Sanjay Manjrekar already stated why he feels that Harshit Rana is of true value to the Indian team, his explanation looked quite logical. Rana truly does not bowl only on abilities but also uses his T20 skillset to pick wickets and provide breakthroughs at crucial junctures of the game.
Manjrekar has sidelined the likes of Kuldeep Yadav and Jasprit Bumrah when he suggested that Harshit Rana’s inclusion has helped India to fill the gap for a massive quality that is needed during the middle overs.
“All in all, he adds to the wicket-taking ability that Indian seamers have been lacking in the middle overs. So, by his inclusion, the Indian bowling lineup seems quite complete,” said Manjrekar in the JioHotstar pre-match show.
Harshit Rana provided the breakthroughs with his second spell in the first ODI
India are currently playing against New Zealand in the three-match ODI series, and the first match includes Harshit bowling with the new ball for India. India picked to bowl first, and the Kiwi openers Devon Conway and Henry Nicholls started off with a wonderful 117-run partnership for the first wicket.
While Nicholls was on 62, Harshit returned with his second spell and dismissed him with a slower ball wide outside the off stump, and he was caught behind the wickets. This gave him the momentum, and he cleaned up Devon Conway in his next over with a ball that nipped back sharply.
Hence, Rana handed India the two vital breakthroughs in the game before Mohammed Siraj returned with a fourth dismissal.
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