India’s rookie pacer Harshit Rana has given credit to head coach Gautam Gambhir after his maiden ODI call-up. Rana revealed that the former Indian opener helped him change his mindset. Gambhir observed Rana from close quarters while mentoring Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL 2024.
The lanky impressed with his performances in the last edition of the IPL, taking 19 wickets in 13 matches at an average of 20.15 and economy rate of 9.08 and finished as the fifth-highest wicket-taker in the tournament. Ergo, Rana played an instrumental role in taking KKR to glory.
Furthermore, Rana picked five wickets in three matches of the Deodhar trophy while playing for North Zone.
Rana gave credit to his father, his personal coach Amit Bhandari, and Gautam Gambhir for helping him rise through the ranks.
“If I have to name three people whom I am indebted to in this beautiful journey of mine, then it is my father, for his efforts, my personal coach Amit Bhandari sir (former India and Delhi pacer) and above everyone else, Gauti bhaiyya (Gautam Gambhir),” Rana told PTI.
Rana revealed Gambhir told him he has full faith in his abilities and he will be a match-winner for KKR.
“If my outlook towards the game has changed, a lot of it has got to do with Gauti bhaiyya’s presence in the KKR dressing room and how he changed my mindset. At the elite level, you require skills but more than skills you require the heart to handle the pressure. Gauti bhaiyya would always tell me ‘Mere ko tere pe trust hai. Tu match jeetake aayega’. (I trust you, you can win the match),” he added.
The first T20I between India and Sri Lanka will be played in Pallekele on July 27.
ODI Squad: Rohit Sharma (C), Shubman Gill (VC), Virat Kohli, KL Rahul (WK), Rishabh Pant (WK), Shreyas Iyer, Shivam Dube, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohd. Siraj, Washington Sundar, Arshdeep Singh, Riyan Parag, Axar Patel, Khaleel Ahmed, Harshit Rana.
