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KKR pacer Harshit Rana was asked to stay back in England ahead of the Test series, raising questions over his selection ahead of in-form Anshul Kamboj. Netizens debated Gautam Gambhir’s influence and the fairness of a possible ‘KKR quota’.
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Team India pacer Harshit Rana was reportedly asked to stay back in England ahead of the five-match Test series against England, starting on June 20. Rana was part of India A in the recently concluded two unofficial Tests against England Lions, which served as preparatory matches for the senior team’s tour.
Team India will begin their new era in Test Cricket following the retirements of Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Ravichandran Ashwin. Kohli and Rohit stepped away from the longest format of the game, while Ashwin retired from all formats at the international level in the middle of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy after the Gabba Test in Brisbane ended in a draw.
With Rohit Sharma retired from Test Cricket, the BCCI selection committee appointed Shubman Gill as India’s new red-ball captain, and Rishabh Pant was named vice-captain. Karun Nair, Sai Sudharsan, Arshdeep Singh, Abhimanyu Easwaran, and Shardul Thakur were included in the 18-member squad for the Test tour of England.
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Harshit Rana over Anshul Kamboj
Team India’s management reportedly asked Harshit Rana to stay after the Intra-squad match between India and India A at Kent’s County Cricket Ground in Beckenham. However, the KKR pacer was preferred over Anshul Kamboj, who was also part of the India A in the recently concluded two unofficial matches against England Lions.
Rana and Kamboj played in both unofficial Tests for India A against England Lions, but their performances were fairly comparable. Anshul Kamboj was the highest wicket-taker of the unofficial Tests between India A and England Lions, scalping five wickets at an average of 26.20 and an economy rate of 3.05 in two matches.
In the first unofficial Test, Kamboj delivered a tight spell of 1/69 at an economy rate of 3.13 in 22 overs. This was a far better performance than senior players in the team, including Shardul Thakur, Mukesh Kumar, and Harshit Rana.
Harshit Rana, on the other hand, picked just one wicket, at an average of 99 and an economy rate of 3.67 in his only appearance in the unofficial Test against England Lions. Given the stark difference between the bowling performances of Anshul Kamboj and Harshit Rana, the latter getting the preference over the former raised questions among the fans.
Has the ‘KKR quota’ helped Harshit earn favour under Gambhir’s management?
Harshit Rana being preferred over Anshul Kamboj by Team India management led by Gautam Gambhir sparked debate on social media, with many fans and critics questioning whether the pacer’s inclusion was influenced by his association with Kolkata Knight Riders, the franchise mentored by Gautam Gambhir last year and led to their third IPL triumph.
The netizens believe that Anshul Kamboj deserves to stay back with Team India in England, given his performance in unofficial Tests against England Lions. The Term ‘KKR quota’ began trending online, as users debated the fairness of selections based on performance versus franchise connections.
Harshit Rana made his Test debut in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, but failed to make an impact as he picked just four wickets at an average of 50.75 and an economy rate of 4.51 in two matches. Rana was replaced by Akash Deep in the remaining three Tests of the five-match series.
Harshit Rana's inclusion in the squad unsure
Though Harshit Rana was asked to stay back with Team India in England, his inclusion in India’s 18-member squad is uncertain. As per the report by IANS, a source close to the BCCI stated that the KKR pacer would not leave for home with the India A squad, but the addition to the squad is not sure.
“Yes, after much speculation, it’s confirmed that Rana will stay back with the Indian Test team," a BCCI source told IANS.
"However, it remains unclear whether he will be officially added to the squad for the five-Test series beginning June 20,” the source added.
The pace bowling unit includes Jasprit Bumrah, Akash Deep, Mohammed Siraj, and Prasidh Krishna. Since Bumrah is unlikely to play all five Tests of the upcoming England series, Team India management seemed to be looking for an extra pace bowling specialist as a backup cover, which could explain Harshit Rana's retention despite questions over his recent form.
