India head coach Gautam Gambhir has slammed social media trolls and YouTubers for making distasteful comments over Harshit Rana’s selection for Australia tour. Gambhir feels that Rana is still new to the arena and a youngster like him should not be targetted like that. He welcomes criticism of players but wants social media trolls to stop targetting the young pacer.
“It’s really shameful to see. In order to run your own YouTube channel, you just can’t target a 23-year-old boy (Harshit Rana). He is not a 33-year-old guy who can handle the trolls on social media,” Gambhir said in the post-match press conference.
Not just Rana, Gambhir is against harsh criticism for any youngster. He wants media to keep a check on themselves as well when talking about young cricketers.
“Criticise me, I can handle it, he is just 23. It is not just him, it is about every young player. Stop targeting them, I know it is important to perform but you just can’t go after these kids. It is everyone’s moral responsibility to keep a check on this you (media) and us,” he added.
Rana was not at his best in the T20 Asia Cup 2025. He retained his place in the T20I and the ODI squads for Australia tour. In the absence of a rested Jasprit Bumrah, he has been picked for the ODI series alongside pacers Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna and Arshdeep Singh.
Ashwin condemned Rana’s trolling too
Earlier, former India cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin had questioned Rana’s place in the squad. However, he had strongly condemned the personal attacks and trolls on Rana.
Former chief selector called Rana as Gambhir’s favourite.
On the other hand, former India opener Kris Srikkanth did not go easy on selectors for selecting Rana and lashed out at them.
"Harshit Rana is a permanent because he is Gautam Gambhir's favourite. He is always a certainty and the first name on the team sheet after Shubman Gill," Srikkanth had said on his YouTube channel.