Harshit Rana attributes his stellar form to Bumrah, Morkel: Details
What's the story
Rising Indian cricket star Harshit Rana has credited his successful debut in all three formats to the mentorship of Jasprit Bumrah and coach Morne Morkel. The 23-year-old pacer received his Test cap in the coveted Border-Gavaskar series last December. Meanwhile, he recently made his T20I and ODI debuts in the white-ball series against England. Additionally, during India's tour of Australia, Rana got to learn from one of cricket's greats, Bumrah. Notably, he has raced to 16 international scalps across formats.
Mentorship
Rana praises Bumrah's guidance on bowling strategies
Rana lauded Bumrah for his priceless advice on how to bowl across different formats. "I get a lot of benefit from working with Jassi bhai. He has a lot of experience. He always guided me on how to bowl in which format," Rana told reporters after India's six-wicket victory over Bangladesh in the Champions Trophy. "We used to talk about Test matches in Australia and also about different formats. I got a lot of benefit from that," Rana added.
Coaching impact
Rana acknowledges Morkel's role in improving his bowling
Rana also credited India's bowling coach, Morkel, for polishing his line and length. "I have learned a great deal from him. He has worked extensively on improving my line and length," Rana said. He was picked for India's Champions Trophy opener against Bangladesh, where he partnered veteran Mohammed Shami with the new ball. Picking Rana over experienced left-arm bowler Arshdeep Singh highlights the faith the team management has in him. "There is backing from the coach and captain," he added.
Match performance
Rana's impressive performance boosts confidence for upcoming match
In the game against Bangladesh, Rana produced an impressive performance with economical match figures of 3/31 in his 7.4-over spell. This performance has boosted his confidence ahead of India's highly anticipated match against Pakistan on Sunday. "I will take today's momentum forward. Of course, there's always a lot of hype around an India-Pakistan game, but we are treating it like any other match," he said, highlighting his focus on maintaining consistency regardless of the opponent.
Stats
A look at Rana's ODI and List A numbers
In ODI four innings, the young pacer has raced to nine scalps. Meanwhile, he averages 19.66 and owns an economy rate of 6.17. Rana's 3/31 against Bangladesh are his best ODI figures so far. Additionally, in 18 List A matches, he owns 31 scalps at an average of 22.35. The 23-year-old also boasts two four-wicket hauls in these matches. As per ESPNcricinfo, his best innings figures are worth 4/17.