Former India pacer Zaheer Khan lavished praise on Harshit Rana after the speedster picked up a four-wicket haul in the third ODI against Australia at Sydney Cricket Ground in Sydney. The right-arm pacer finished with 4/39 as the Shubman Gill-led side restricted the hosts on just 236 in a dead rubber clash.
Harshit Rana, who faced a lot of criticism after ending the previous encounters on the higher side of economy, made a comeback by removing Alex Carey, Cooper Connolly, Mitchell Owen and Josh Hazlewood in the last ODI.
Zaheer Khan for Harshit Rana
Zaheer Khan, who was part of India's 2011 World Cup-winning squad alongside Gautam Gambhir, opined that this recent cameo with the bat in the second clash, before the career-best figures in the third ODI, Rana is on the right track.
"You need matches like these. At the international level, that is one bridge you have to cross in your head as well, to say that, 'Yes, I can do this, I can be the leader of the pack'. This game, for Harshit Rana, for sure can be that kind of a game, where he starts believing in his ability. He is ticking all the boxes right," Zaheer Khan said on Cricbuzz during the ininngs break.
Zaheer Khan on India's bowling
Team India bowled out Australia with more than three overs to spare, which means that only the spin duo of Kuldeep Yadav and Washington Sundar bowled their full quota of 10 overs.
"I think it is just the way that the game unfolded. Six bowling options you have, if someone is having a good run, you just continue with that. Two left-handers were batting, Axar was also under-bowled. Axar was the pick of the bowlers, he was economical, got the wicket of Marsh, but when you have six bowlers, you will have someone who will be underbowled. What matters is that 236 is a damn good effort from the bowlers," Zaheer Khan added.
India vs Australia 3rd ODI inning report
India bundled out Australia on 236 in 46.4 overs in the third ODI with the impressive bowling from Harshit Rana and spinner Washington Sundar. Rana picked up four wickets, while Sundar took two.
Washington Sundar (2/44) dismissed Matthew Short (30 off 41 balls) and Matt Renshaw (56 off 58 balls) after Mohammed Siraj (1/24) and Axar Patel (1/18) set things up by removing the openers, Travis Head (29) and Mitchell Marsh (41) respectively.
Harshit Rana (4/39) continued to trouble the Australian batters, getting rid of Alex Carey (24) and Mitchell Owen (1) as Australia slipped to 198/6 in the 38th over and never managed to recover from there.