Gautam Gambhir received messages from KKR fans thanking him after Harshit Rana wasn’t picked for the third and final T20I against Bangladesh.
India’s third T20I against Bangladesh was expected to bring about a debut cap for fast-bowler Harshit Rana, who has been waiting in the wings for an opportunity to represent his country for several weeks now. While he was reportedly due to get his opportunity in Hyderabad, a viral fever has curtailed and postponed his goal for the time being.
Kolkata Knight Riders pacer Harshit Rana won’t receive his first India cap just yet.(PTI)
However, significantly for the IPL, this was the last opportunity for Harshit Rana to earn a cap before the auction retention deadline of 31st October, and Harshit remaining uncapped means he will be available at a cut-price rate for Kolkata Knight Riders, with whom he won the 2024 edition of the tournament.
As per the new rulings, uncapped players can be retained for INR 4cr, well below the 11cr minimum for international and capped players this year. Moreover, uncapped players are flexible in allowing teams to add another capped player to their retention list as well, which would make title-winning KKR capable of keeping much of their championship core from last year.
Users on social media were quick to pounce on this slight advantage that Harshit’s unfortunate sickness provided his IPL franchise, in particular noting how Indian coach Gautam Gambhir was previously the coach of KKR, and also how he provided a debut to another exciting seamer in Mayank Yadav in this series.
India 2-0 ahead in the series
India head into this match with Mayank as their only frontline pacer, with Hardik Pandya and Nitish Kumar Reddy likely to contribute with their all-round abilities as well. Ravi Bishnoi was awarded a comeback into the team as well in the only change in the team.
India have already secured a series victory by winning the first two matches, and both in relatively comfortable fashion. While Mayank has impressed in his first two games in Indian colours, fans won’t get the chance to watch the two Delhi pacers in tandem just yet.
Harshit Rana was also included as a reserve bowler for the Test series against New Zealand in the squad list announced earlier today. That series will begin soon after this T20 series ends, with the two teams beginning their three-match battle at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Bengaluru.
