India’s young pacer Harshit Rana made an impressive impact in his ODI debut against England in Nagpur, revealing how he strategically planned his bowling variations to claim his maiden international wicket. His first victim, Ben Duckett, fell to a well-executed short-length delivery, which resulted in a superb catch by fellow debutant Yashasvi Jaiswal.
Harshit, who had already generated buzz with his controversial T20I debut earlier this month, started off on an expensive note in the ODI. However, he recovered well to finish with figures of 3/53, playing a crucial role in India’s dominant victory. Speaking about his first wicket, Harshit shared that his strategy involved switching between full-length and short-pitched deliveries, which ultimately forced Duckett into a mistimed shot.
IND vs ENG, 1st ODI: Highlights
“Sir, you could say it was part of a plan. Initially, I was trying to set him up by bowling full deliveries, and then I bowled a well-executed short ball, which got me the reward,” Harshit said in the post-match press conference.
A Memorable ODI Debut
Harshit’s introduction to ODI cricket was filled with nerves and excitement, but he soon found his rhythm. His ability to mix up his lengths kept the English batters guessing, and his dismissal of Duckett proved to be a turning point.
While Harshit is primarily known for excelling in the death overs of T20 cricket, particularly in the IPL, he was not required to bowl at the back end of the innings in this match. Instead, he was entrusted with middle-overs bowling, a challenge he embraced with confidence. Speaking at the post-match press conference, he emphasised his readiness to take on any role that the team requires.
“Sir, I have bowled well at the death before, so I am always ready for it. But yes, this format is a bit difficult because it’s a longer format, and as a bowler, you have to play different roles in different phases. In the beginning, you have a different role, then in the middle overs, it changes, and finally, in the death overs, it’s a whole different challenge. But we practice for these situations, and that helps,” he added.
With India securing a convincing victory in the series opener, the focus now shifts to the second ODI in Cuttack on February 9. As the team builds momentum ahead of the Champions Trophy, Harshit Rana’s impressive debut performance has added depth to India’s fast-bowling unit, setting the stage for an exciting remainder of the series.
