India's young pacer Harshit Rana made an epic comeback after going for plenty in the One-Day pink-ball warm-up game at Manuka Oval, Canberra. Rana bagged just four wickets from six balls to turn the game in India's favour.ย
Harshit had conceded 40 runs from 4.3 overs as teenager Sam Konstas went after him. Introduced into the attack as first change bowler, he even conceded a six from Konstas' bat but Rohit gave him a longer spell. The trust paid off as Rana knocked over Jack Clayton.ย
The left-handed batter could not get his bat down in time as the ball clipped the top of middle and off stump. Calyton scored 40 runs from 52 balls. On the last ball of the over, Rana bowled it full and straight. Oliver Davies played across the line and got bowled.ย
In his next over, Harshit got another wicket. Jack Edwards played a pull shot but was caught at long leg by Prasidh Krishna. New batter Sam Harper defended the hat-trick ball. The wicketkeeper-batter took the aerial route off the short ball as well. Once again, Krishna had some work to do as he took his second catch of the day.
After Rana, Krishna got into the act with the ball as well. He got the wicket of Aidan O'Connor. From 131 for 2 in the 23rd over, Prime Ministers XI were reduced to 138/7 in the 25th over. They lost five wickets for seven runs in a matter of 18 balls. On the other end, Konstas continued to march on and reached his century from 90 balls.ย
Earlier, skipper Rohit won the toss and opted to bowl first. Rain interrupted play early into the game and it was reduced to 46 overs per side.ย
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Rana set for Adelaide Test
Considering the kind of form Rana is in, the youngster is set to feature in the pink-ball Test at Adelaide Oval starting December 6. The 22-year-old was lethal on his Test debut taking four wickets including a three-fer in the first innings. He got the wickets of Travis Head, Mitchell Starc and Nathan Lyon to help India bowl out the hosts for 104 and taken a 46-run lead.ย
