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Harshit Rana’s clutch bowling under severe dew draws big credit for India’s win: ‘Bowler can’t even hold ball properly’
With the ball slipping through fingers and skidding onto the bat due to intense dew, Kotak said Harshit Rana’s early strikes were vital.
Team India batting coach Sitanshu Kotak heaped praise on Harshit Rana for his three-for against South Africa in Ranchi. Rana was right on the money in his first over itself, where he claimed a couple of crucial wickets to break the Proteas' back in the 350-run chase. The right-arm pacer was given the big responsibility of handling the new ball alongside Arshdeep Singh, and he got rid of Ryan Rickelton and Quinton de Kock with two absolute jaffas. Those two early strikes swung the momentum India’s way, and even with the dew coming into play, they seized control from the outset.
The Indian cricket team assistant coach hailed Harshit for delivering a crucial spell in conditions heavily stacked against the bowlers. With the ball slipping through fingers and skidding onto the bat due to intense dew, Kotak said Harshit’s early strikes were vital in preventing what could have been a straightforward chase.
“I think 350 on the same surface, if they were batting, then 350 would definitely be enough. But after so much dew, the bowler can’t even hold the ball properly. The ball is skidding off the wicket and coming straight onto the bat. I think a lot of credit goes to Harshit as well for taking those early wickets, because otherwise it would have been quite easy for them to score runs in such heavy dew,” said Kotak in the post-match presentation.
“Harshit Rana was hitting the right areas in the early innings”
Later in the innings, he delivered the breakthrough India desperately needed by removing a rampaging Dewald Brevis. He outfoxed Brevis with a well-disguised slower one, tempting him into another big swing, only for the mistimed hit to sail towards Ruturaj Gaikwad, who completed a clean catch near the rope.
He further applauded Harshit’s impact in a match where India overturned the disadvantage of losing the toss. He highlighted how the pacer maximised the brief swing available with the Kookaburra ball, hitting the right areas early on and making full use of the limited movement to put India on top.
“So, after losing the toss and still winning this game, I think it’s very creditable. I think he was moving the ball well, he was hitting the right areas in the early innings because a Kookaburra ball probably swings for two, four, maybe five overs. So, I think he made the most of it,” he added.
