When Harshit Rana walked out to bat ahead of Washington Sundar, a section of fans had already opened their keyboards. The script to troll Gautam Gambhir was ready. Memes were lined up. Verdicts were passed in advance. Unfortunately for the trolls, but perfectly for Indian cricket, that script now belongs in the deleted folder.
Rana had already done the damage with the ball against New Zealand. Then came the moment that shut everyone up. A 23-ball 29 - calm, calculated, and clutch - turned out to be a match-winning cameo. This wasn’t reckless hitting. This was game awareness under pressure.
So to the trollers: your apology should be as loud as your disrespect was.
Let’s talk facts.
-Consistently clocks 140+ kmph
-India’s highest wicket-taker in ODIs in 2025
-Effective with the new ball
-Takes wickets in the middle overs
-Reliable at the death
-And yes, more than handy with the bat
If a coach identifies a player’s ability and that player keeps delivering performances like these, why shouldn’t he be backed? This is exactly how talent is groomed. This is how careers are built. And let’s not forget - Harshit Rana is just 24.
Now imagine performing with the constant pressure of outside noise. A world where people wait more eagerly for your failure than your success. And yet, you walk in every time and prove them wrong.
The wickets have been coming consistently; that was never in doubt. But what’s impressed even more is his batting. Those crucial 20s and 30s in pressure situations? That’s gold. That’s a luxury every team craves.
After his all-round show in the 1st ODI vs New Zealand, Harshit said, "Mai to manta hun ki mai neeche ja kar bana sakta hun team ke liye vo 30-40 runs jab bhi zaroorat hai." "Team management to chahti hai mujhe as an all-rounder groom karna, aur mera kaam hai ki mai us cheez par kaam karta rahu," he added.
(("I believe I can go down the order and score those 30–40 runs for the team whenever needed. The team management wants to groom me as an all-rounder, and my job is to keep working towards that.”))
It’s time we move past the trolling and start acknowledging reality. Harshit Rana has all the ingredients to become a genuine fast-bowling all-rounder, someone who contributes in every phase of the game.
Good going, Harshit. That’s how you turn trolls into applause.
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