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Star pacer Harshit Rana's long-awaited India debut was further delayed due to a viral fever that forced him to miss the third T20I against Bangladesh at the Rajiv Gandhi International stadium in Hyderabad on October 13. Despite India's assistant coach hinting at a possible debut for Harshit on the eve of the match, the right-arm pacer was unable to join the team due to his illness.
Harshit Rana's debut delay, a big implications for KKR
This setback has big implications for the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), who can now retain Harshit for a substantial sum of Rs 4 crore. According to IPL rules, any player who remains uncapped until October 31, 2024, can be retained at this price.
Harshit's journey to the Indian team has been marked by near misses. He was initially selected for the Zimbabwe series but didn't get a chance to play. Subsequently, he remained on the bench during the ODI series against Sri Lanka. The final T20I against Bangladesh seemed like the perfect opportunity for Harshit to finally don the Indian jersey, but illness intervened.
How can Harshit Rana make India debut before IPL 2025 retention date?
However, the chances of Harshit Rana remaining uncapped until October 31 are high, there's still a slim possibility of him making his India debut before then.
Harshit is set to remain with the Indian team and will be part of the Test squad traveling to New Zealand. The BCCI has officially announced Harshit, along with Mayank Yadav, Nitish Reddy, and Prasidh Krishna, as traveling reserves for the series.
All four players are considered valuable prospects by the Indian team and could potentially get their chance if a replacement is needed. While Prasidh Krishna is currently ahead of Harshit in the pecking order, the situation can change, and nothing is guaranteed.
The Indian selectors have the option to include Harshit Rana or Mayank Yadav in the Test squad if a replacement player is required. This presents a potential opportunity for Harshit to earn his India cap and become a capped player before the IPL 2025 retention deadline.
The first Test match between India and New Zealand is set to take place in Bengaluru from October 16 to 20. The second Test will be played in Pune from October 24 to 28, followed by the final Test in Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium from November 1 to 5.
India's squad for New Zealand Test series:
Rohit Sharma (C), Jasprit Bumrah (VC), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Sarfaraz Khan, Rishabh Pant (WK), Dhruv Jurel (WK), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohd. Siraj, Akash Deep
Travelling Reserves: Harshit Rana, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Mayank Yadav and Prasidh Krishna
