Kris Srikkanth's dramatic U-turn on Harshit Rana after Indore fifty
Former India opener Kris Srikkanth has completely changed his opinion about Harshit Rana's batting. This dramatic shift came after Rana scored his maiden ODI fifty during the third match against New Zealand in Indore on Sunday.
India lost the series 2-1 to New Zealand. This marked the first time the Kiwis secured an ODI series victory on Indian soil. Despite the overall defeat, several Indian performances stood out positively.
From critic to admirer
Earlier, Srikkanth had openly criticized the team management. He questioned their decision to play Harshit Rana as a batting option instead of Shivam Dube. However, Rana's last two innings completely transformed Srikkanth's perspective.
The young batter showcased remarkable skill even as India faced losses. His performance in Indore particularly caught Srikkanth's attention and admiration.
The game-changing innings
On his YouTube channel, Srikkanth highlighted Rana's impact during the Indore match. He described how Rana's batting affected the New Zealand players.
"But the real game-changer was Harshit Rana," Srikkanth declared. "The way Rana was batting, New Zealand players were shivering. I was amazed by Rana's batting. He performed at a different level."
Srikkanth emphasized the psychological impact on the opposition. "They were literally shaking and didn't know what to do. He was hitting sixes effortlessly and his batting was tremendous."
The crucial partnership with Kohli
Srikkanth then discussed the vital partnership between Virat Kohli and Harshit Rana. The duo added 99 runs together, bringing India closer to victory.
"Out of the 99 runs that Virat Kohli and Harshit Rana added, Rana made 52," Srikkanth noted. "That 52 runs were crucial and gave Kohli hope even though the asking rate was above 11."
The former cricketer revealed how Rana's aggressive batting changed the game's dynamics. "Rana's hitting reduced it to 10 and New Zealand were scared. New Zealand captain was scared too," he added.
Steadying a collapsing innings
Despite their efforts, both Rana and Kohli eventually lost their wickets. However, Srikkanth praised their contribution in stabilizing India's innings.
He called Kohli "king" on his channel. Srikkanth pointed out that Kohli, along with Nitish Kumar Reddy and Harshit Rana, provided stability when established batters struggled.
Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul failed to make significant impacts during the match.
"What a knock!" Srikkanth exclaimed. "If you look at the scorecard and the fall of wickets, they fell continuously. It was 1/28, 2/45, 3/68 and 4/71. Nitish Kumar Reddy came and steadied the innings and later hit sixes."
A positive sign for India's future
Harshit Rana's maiden fifty represents more than just personal achievement. It validates coach Gautam Gambhir's faith in the young player as one of his preferred selections.
The innings also demonstrates India's batting depth despite the series loss. Emerging players like Rana are showing they can perform under pressure against top international sides.
Srikkanth's complete reversal of opinion underscores how impactful performances can change perceptions in cricket. From being a detractor, he has become one of Rana's most vocal admirers after witnessing his batting prowess in Indore.
