India quick Harshit Rana batted at No.7 for the first time in his T20 career, in the second T20I against Australia. Here's why he might have been promoted.
India promote Harshit Rana to No.7 against Australia
The visitors were rattled early at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, as Josh Hazlewood struck thrice in the Powerplay to reduce them to 32-4. After a brief 17-run stand between Axar Patel and Abhishek Sharma, the former was run out to leave them 49-5 in 7.3 overs.
With half the team back in the shed, and a bona-fide batter in Shivam Dube yet to bat, India instead sent in fast bowler Harshit Rana, who before today had batted just 11 times in 42 T20s, and only once above No.9.
It seemed a puzzling call, but having largely collapsed, India perhaps wanted a low-value batter to come in next, who could take a few more risks to keep the scoring going, while the specialist batter (Abhishek) could ensure they did not slide further.
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The current Indian team management have not been shy in their evaluation of Rana as a bowler with some genuine batting ability in the lower order. He does have one first-class century to his name, with 28 sixes in 14 innings in the longest format. He also pleasantly surprised many with a cameo of 24 off 18 balls from No.9 in the second ODI against Australia last week.
"With the No.8 position, if a batsman can make 20-25 runs there – which we have confidence Harshit can do – then it becomes a very important position," India skipper Shubman Gill explained after the following match as well.
Earlier this year, controversy arose after Rana was a concussion substitute – ironically for Dube – on his T20I debut against England earlier this year, on the grounds that the substitution was not "like-for-like". It perhaps does, however, remain consistent with India's assessment of his all-round capabilities.
2nd T20I, Australia vs India
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How did Harshit Rana perform after being promoted?
As it happened, the promotion paid off in one sense. Rana scored 35 off 33 balls, with three fours and one six. But those 33 deliveries came during the course of a 47-ball sixth-wicket stand with Abhishek, meaning the opener, already starved of strike before Rana arrived, faced only 14 in that time. On three occasions, Rana took a single off the final ball of an over, retaining strike for the following one.
Dube, who came in after Rana was dismissed, nicked his first ball for four, before another edge off the following delivery saw him caught behind. Abhishek eventually made 68 off 37, and Rana was the only other player to make it to double figures as India were bowled out for 125 in 18.4 overs.
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