Harshit Rana’s India debut has been delayed until the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia, according to assistant coach Abhishek Nayar Ā¹. Despite his impressive performances, Rana will have to wait a bit longer to make his debut, as he’s currently listed as a reserve for the ongoing New Zealand Test series.
Rana earned his maiden national call-up in June 2024 for the Zimbabwe tour, but hasn’t had the chance to take the field yet Ā¹. This delay has sparked controversy, with some fans accusing Indian head coach Gautam Gambhir of favoring his former franchise, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), by delaying Rana’s debut Ā¹. The theory is that by keeping Rana uncapped, KKR can retain him for a lower price in the IPL.
However, it’s worth noting that Rana is now set to make his debut in the third Test against New Zealand in Mumbai, which coincidentally happens to be after the IPL retention deadline Ā¹. While this timing has raised eyebrows, we’ll have to wait and see how Rana performs on the international stage.