Gautam Gambhir’s conversation with Harshit Rana shows how influential the head coach is in shaping the Indian playing XI, perhaps more than the captain.
It was almost a do-or-die moment for Harshit Rana after struggling in the first two one-day internationals against Australia. Ahead of the third ODI in Sydney, the pressure on Rana was immense. The 23-year-old leader had been mistreated by critics, described as “favorite” of Gautam Gambhir. The fact that he is a constant figure in most Indian teams has caused a crisis among the fans and put pressure on the boy from Delhi.
His first two outings in the series were also forgettable, with just two wickets for 86 runs, and his place hung by a thread. For India’s new head coach Gautam Gambhir, who had taken risks to defend him, the pressure was just as real.
Gambhir’s tough love ahead of Sydney showdown
On the eve of the Sydney ODI, Gambhir finally abandoned his role as a friendly mentor and proceeded to have a brutal reality check. “Perform kar, color bahar bitha dunga (Play or I’ll let you down)” he told Rana, a line that added fuel to the fire in Rana’s belly. The warning worked like a spark. Rana came roaring back, delivering his best ODI spell with figures of 4 for 39 as India bowled out Australia for 236. The Delhi pacer generated sharp bounce and seam on the SCG surface, using his height to trouble even the set batters.
Rana’s childhood coach Sharvan said India Times that the leader had called him before the match, admitting the immense pressure he was under.
Harshit Rana’s coach says….
“He called me and told me that he wants to silence the outside noise with his performance. I just said, believe in yourself. I know some cricketers say that he is close to Gambhir. But Gambhir knows how to identify talent and he supports them. Gambhir has supported many cricketers and they have done wonders for their team.“
“In fact, he severely reprimanded Harshit. He told him directly, ‘execute kar, warna bahar bitha dunga.’ It sends a clear message to whoever you are. Sharvan said..
Sharvan also lashed out at critics like Krishnamahari Srikkanth for taking a dig at Rana’s selection, saying retired players should not “scrutinizes any child who has just started» for YouTube influence.
Why India continues to support Rana
Despite all the noise around him, there is a reason why India and Gambhir remain invested in Rana. It’s big, fast and hits hard on deck, traits tailor-made for overseas conditions. More importantly, he can handle the bat at No. 8, which is rare for Indian pacers. This balance makes him an asset in white-ball cricket. We had heard that Harshit had batting skills and for the first time, he showed it. His 24-run knock at Adelaide showed management that they could go with him at number eight and face three frontline bowlers in the future.
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