Delhi Fast Bowler Harshit Rana Earns Maiden India Call-Up

Harshit Rana, a 22-year-old fast bowler from Delhi, has finally earned his long-awaited call-up to the Indian ODI team. The journey to this moment has been filled with setbacks and disappointments, but Rana has never given up hope.

Rana's exceptional performance in the IPL, where he claimed 19 wickets and played a crucial role in Kolkata Knight Riders' victorious campaign, finally earned him recognition on the national stage. Despite facing numerous setbacks and being overlooked during his journey from the junior levels, Rana's determination and hard work have paid off.

"Delhi mein dil tooth sakta hai par humne kabhi hausla nahi haraa (Delhi can break your heart but I never lost hope)," Rana said in an emotional statement.

Rana credits his father, personal coach Amit Bhandari, and former India and Delhi pacer Gautam Gambhir for his success. Gambhir, in particular, has had a profound impact on Rana's mindset.

"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," Rana said.

Rana's performances in white ball cricket for Delhi have been exceptional. He has claimed 22 wickets in 14 games in the Vijay Hazare Trophy and 28 wickets in 25 T20 matches.

Rana's ability to execute his arsenal of deliveries with precision under pressure has been key to his success. He consistently hits the blockhole, fires wide yorkers, and deceives batsmen with cleverly disguised slow bouncers.

"If you ask about the pressure part it is Gautam Gambhir's advice. He would say, 'what's the worst thing that will happen? You will get hit and we can lose the match. But if you don't face your fears, how will you overcome them'?" Rana said.

Bhandari, Rana's personal coach, believes that the bowler possesses the necessary skills and abilities to excel in international competitions.

"In Delhi, you always hear about corruption, groupism, nepotism. Now look at the bonafide Delhi greats. Most have within two years of Delhi debut played for India. Viru (Sehwag), Gauti (Gambhir), Ishant (Sharma), Rishabh (Pant) all had talent and didn't hover around domestic cricket for long. If you are a talented Delhi cricketer, the system can't stop you. And if you aren't, then even in 15 years, you won't make it," Bhandari said.

Rana's call-up to the Indian ODI team is a testament to his hard work, determination, and talent. He is now ready to take the next step in his career and represent his country at the highest level.

Tags: #Cricket, #IndianCricket, #ODICricket, #HarshitRana, #GautamGambhir