Former Indian opener Abhinav Mukund has declared that pacer Harshit Rana is India's best-performing ODI bowler over the last two to three years, while also highlighting his batting potential. Mukund, who played seven Tests for India, made these remarks on 'The Great Indian Cricket Show' on Doordarshan.
Mukund's Verdict on Harshit Rana
Mukund stated, "Harshit Rana has a lot of potential with the bat. The Indian team management trusts him a lot and believes that he has batting ability and can play at number 8. Harshit Rana is a walk-in for me in terms of ODIs. This is the thing; we mix formats a little bit. So Harshit Rana has been the best-performing ODI bowler in the last two or three years."
In 14 ODIs, Harshit has taken 26 wickets at an average of 27.38, with a four-wicket haul and an economy rate of 6.21. In the previous T20I series against Ireland, he managed four wickets at an average of over 10, with best figures of 3/24.
Comparison with Nitish Kumar Reddy and Hardik Pandya
Mukund also discussed the contrasting strengths of Nitish Kumar Reddy and Hardik Pandya. He said, "Nitish Kumar's strength is different, and Hardik's (Pandya) strength is different. So, if Nitish Kumar can give you overs with the new ball and in the middle overs, you should test their strengths, at which phase of the game they are good to bat and good to bowl."
Both Nitish and Hardik are currently battling injuries. Hardik has not been included in any squads for T20Is and ODIs until the Asian Games, while Nitish was forced to miss the Ireland and England T20Is due to injury, making way for all-rounder Suryansh Shedge.
Team Management's Strategy
Mukund explained how the team management is looking to balance bowling variations with crucial lower-order batting depth. The inclusion of Harshit Rana, who can bat at number 8, provides flexibility and depth to the Indian ODI side.
