The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has brought in speedster Harshit Rana for the third and final Test of the series against New Zealand in Mumbai, starting from November 1.
A report in The Indian Express confirmed Harshit's inclusion, stating that he is also in likely to make his Test debut in the third game. Notably, there are no fresh injury reports in the Indian squad.
Harshit has also been named in India's squad for the five-match Border-Gavaskar series against Australia, starting late in November. He was also with the squad as a reserve for the first two Tests against the Blackcaps but did not play any of those games in Bengaluru and Pune.
The Delhi speedster was then released by the Indian Board to play in the third round of the Ranji Trophy 2024/25, where he took a fifer and scored a fifty in the team's win against Assam.
"If India want him to play, I would love to see. If he ends up playing a Test before going to Australia, then it is better for Harshit and for India too that they get a good fast bowler," former selector and current coach of the Delhi team Sarandeep Singh said as quoted by the English Daily.
"I know how to handle these players. I have played Tests, ODIs, been a selector. I know the mindset that is required to play at the highest level. That is how I prepare the players. Everyone is different. You can’t treat everyone the same way. I motivate them the way they will understand. I told Rana that he is on the verge of an opportunity for India and that he should take a fifer here. He got pumped up and delivered here. This is just how a coach talks. He is ready to play right now," he added.
Harshit was in India's squad for the T20I series against Bangladesh too but he did not get to play in any of the three games.
The 22-year-old pacer is an IPL winner with Kolkata Knight Riders and is a lethal weapon in different phases. If he makes his debut in the third Test against New Zealand, India would have to rest one bowler and if the conditions offer help for spinners, either Jasprit Bumrah or Akash Deep will make way in case Harshit gets his cap.
India have already lost the Test series to New Zealand, their first after 12 years at home. They went down in the first Test in Bengaluru by 8 wickets and then lost the second game by 113 runs in Pune.
