Among the latest crop of young Indian bowlers, Kolkata Knight Riders’ Harshit Rana has had a breakout season in the recently concluded edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL), but along with his talent, his aggression on the field has also been something that has been talked about but the young pacer revealed his stance on his approach when on the field.
A notable incident that took place was when KKR played Sunrisers Hyderabad at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on March 23. The pacer had whipped out the viral ‘flying kiss celebration’ when he got the big wicket of Mayank Agarwal. In another match against Delhi Capitals, he had another celebration where he pointed the finger at his lips with a ‘shushing’ celebration as well.
However, the celebration resulted in the Delhite receiving a one-match ban along with his entire match fees considering that this was his second offence. His celebration was certainly something that caught fire on social media as well. But despite the ban, the fast-bowler managed to have a breakout season, helping the franchise to their third title. He contributed with 19 wickets making him the fifth-highest wicket-taker for the season as well.
READ MORE: Harshit Rana Fined 100 Per Cent of His Match Fees and Suspended for One Game for Breaching IPL Code of Conduct
Harshit believes that the tag of being aggressive comes from the fact that he plays with his heart on his sleeve and it is natural that the emotions come out. But he suggested that he might not directly celebrate in front of the batter. He believes that he is there to win rather than make friends and suggested that he was not pleased when Porel had smacked him for 16 runs in his first over which struck a nerve.
In an interview with Indian Express, Rana spoke about whether he would cut down on the aggression, “Sawaal hi nahi hota (Not a chance). Next time I will make sure that I will not use it as a send-off. This is my cricket. I have always played my cricket like this. Mai off the field bahut fun hun aap kisi se puch lo but ab cricket field dosti karne thodi na aaye hai (I am a fun-loving guy off the field but on the cricket pitch, I am not there to make friends, I want to win). Abhishek Porel smacked me for 16 runs in my first over. Ab chakke lagenge to ego hurt hoga na, smile toh nahi karunga na (If someone hits you for sixes you can’t laugh). In the next over, I took his wicket, the celebration was my redemption but I got banned”.
READ MORE: ‘On National Duty’: Hardik Pandya Joins Training With Indian Team Ahead of T20 World Cup 2024 – See Pics
He also asked regarding the stereotype that cricketers from Delhi tend to be aggressive, much like Harshit’s senior counterparts like Virat Kohli, Ishant Sharma and others. But the pacer believes that is what makes them special and allows them to have a long career at the top
He commented, “This tag has been given to us. Hum Dilli wale hai, emotional hai, aur dil se khelte hai (We are from Delhi we play cricket with our heart). This Delhi’s aggression has made Virat Kohli the Virat Kohli he is. Ishant Sharma played 100 Test matches, and Rishabh Pant did that miracle at Gabba. Gautam Gambhir won two World Cup finals for India”.
With an impressive IPL season behind him and being a regular in the domestic scene, a national call-up could be on the cards for the pacer with the likes of Mohammed Shami hitting 33 and injuries hampering his career. A search for India’s next big pacer could be on the cards and Harshit Rana could be a front-runner to be in the Indian squad in the near future.
Stay updated with the latest from T20 World Cup 2024. Explore T20 World Cup Match Today. Check Updated list of Highest-run getters and Highest Wicket-Takers In T20 World Cup 2024. Check T20 World Cup 2024 Points Table and players with the Most Sixes, Most Fours , Most Fifties And Most HundredsIn T20 World Cup 2024.
Comments
0 comment