‘Picked for one delivery two years ago’: R Ashwin slams Harshit Rana’s repeated selection

R Ashwin slams Harshit Rana's selection for Australia ODIs. (Photo: PTI)

After being selected for India's white-ball teams for the Australia series, Harshit Rana has come under fire, and concerns about partiality have returned to Indian cricket circles. His recent performances haven't entirely justified his selection, even if he is one of the few all-format players in the present setup.

Especially in red-ball matches in Australia and England, where hitters frequently took him on, the pacer has had trouble staying consistent. His equation with Gautam Gambhir, the current head coach of India, who coached him during the Kolkata Knight Riders' 2024 championship run, has also been cited by many as evidence that his selection may have been influenced by prior association.

Also Read | Ajit Agarkar’s BCCI stint headed for a stormy end amid clashes with Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli predicts ex-ENG cricketer

Former off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin questioned Rana's selection for the Australia tour, arguing that the pacer's ascent to the national team started immediately after he hit a spectacular ball to dismiss Nitish Kumar Reddy in the IPL 2024 final.

"Why they are selecting him, I am not sure. I would love to be in the selection meeting to know the reason behind his inclusion. From my side, the reason I see is - In Australia we need that fast bowler who can bat. Someone trusts that he can bat, which is why they are selecting him as a potential No. 8. But I am not sure about his batting ability. Two years back he bowled a brilliant pacy delivery in the IPL final that flew off the edge (Nitish Kumar Reddy's dismissal). He has played for a while now for that one delivery," Ashwin said on his YouTube channel.

Ashwin did not, however, downplay Rana's skills and said that the team management may have witnessed something exceptional first-hand, which is why they are strongly supporting him.

"But he definitely has the ability with the ball. I will not accept it if someone says he doesn't have the skill. He definitely does. Such selections happen sometimes because you observe something from a player through close quarters and gain belief in him. Today everyone hails Ravindra Jadeja as a great player. But a time was there when some asked why Ravindra Jadeja was getting picked. I've picked up 540 wickets yet there were people that asked why I was getting picked," he added.

Rana has taken four wickets at an average of 50.75 in his two Test appearances. He has claimed five wickets in three T20Is but proved to be costly with an economy of 10.18. He has taken ten wickets at 20.70 in five ODIs.

Ashwin warned against making snap judgments about Rana because, while acknowledging his undeniable talent and X-factor, he also acknowledged that it is still up for debate whether he should be selected at this point.

"Many people make judgmental calls based on their assumptions. But only when we face the music on the ground, we'll come to know. Likewise, Harshit Rana might come across in some way from a distance. But only when you face a heavy ball from him, you'll understand that he has something. Whether he deserves selection or not is a secondary issue, but he's got some X-factor, let's not forget that. Yet, if you ask me if he deserves selection now, it's very questionable," said Ashwin.