Even though Harshit Rana has played only a handful of matches for India across formats, he has been scrutinised by fans and former cricketers more than any other player since his debut. Despite featuring in just 10 first-class matches, he was selected for the Australia tour. Since making his Test debut, Harshit has been in and around the team. As he hails from Delhi, head coach Gautam Gambhir has been accused of showing bias towards him.
Whenever Harshit has played for India, more often than not, he ends up among the wickets. There is no doubt that he is a wicket-taking option, but what goes against him – and puts him in the firing line – is his economy rate. On several occasions in his short career, he has been targeted for leaking runs. If not Harshit, then what are the options available that are being overlooked because of him? Let’s explore.
Mukesh Kumar
Go back to 2023 and you’ll find Mukesh as part of the Indian squad in all three formats. Although not as quick as Harshit, Mukesh is renowned for his control. He is one bowler who can move the ball both in the air and off the seam. Even on the flattest of pitches, he has taken five-wicket hauls in first-class cricket.
Not just swing and seam, Mukesh is skilled enough to hit the blockhole and use his variations in white-ball cricket, which makes him a complete bowler. However, despite performing well, he has been ignored by the selectors. Once a regular part of the playing XI, Mukesh is not even among the fringe players at the moment.
Avesh Khan
A like-for-like bowler to Harshit – tall, quick, and one who hits the deck hard. Much like Mukesh, Avesh was also a regular part of the white-ball set-up after making his debut in 2022. In Avesh’s case, he has better first-class numbers than many of the more capped bowlers, and yet he is still awaiting his Test debut. With an average of 22.87 and a strike-rate of 44.4, along with two ten-wicket hauls to his name, it’s surprising that even with these numbers, he hasn’t earned his Test cap. On overseas tours, his pace and ability to extract extra bounce could make Avesh an asset – but only if the selectors give him an extended run.
Khaleel Ahmed
A fast bowler whose career has been hampered by injuries, Khaleel Ahmed burst onto the scene in 2018 when he made his international debut. Since then, his career graph has trended downwards. However, this year he has returned to the reckoning, thanks to a successful IPL season with CSK. A quality left-arm seamer is a rare find in Indian cricket.
After Arshdeep Singh, Khaleel is currently the next best option. The Rajasthan-based pacer is a proven wicket-taker with the new ball, and in the slog overs, he has the variations to outfox batters. A bowler as skilled as Khaleel deserves more opportunities, as he could be a valuable addition to the Indian team.
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