Veteran commentator Aakash Chopra has questioned Team India’s handling of Harshit Rana before the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25. He noted that the Delhi pace bowler has been repeatedly picked in the Indian squad but has not been given a game as well. However, Team India will take on Australia in a five-match Test series, with the first game starting in Perth on November 22. Harshit is part of India’s 18-member squad as well.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel ‘Aakash Chopra’, he said, “It’s a very curious case with Harshit Rana. It needs to be spoken about because he is part of teams, he went to Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka, was also with the team in India, been around the Test team, but they are not playing him matches. If you are not playing him matches, he could have been sent with India A. He wasn’t sent there as well. He went to play one Ranji Trophy match and then he was called back to be with the team. Why are you making him roam around with the team when you are not playing him?”

In the same video, Aakash Chopra also questioned whether Harshit Rana can compete with Prasidh Krishna for a place in India’s playing XI during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy as well.

“Prasidh Krishna is taking wickets there (for India A vs Australia A). He is part of the Test team. Harshit is also part of the team but he has never played in Australia. So how will you think about playing him ahead of Prasidh Krishna? There are four fast bowlers – (Jasprit) Bumrah, (Mohammed) Siraj, Akash Deep, and then there is Prasidh Krishna. There is a question which three among these will play, but Harshit Rana is not coming in that list at all because he is not playing cricket at all. I am extremely surprised that you are keeping him but not playing him. So what exactly is the plan for Harshit Rana? I really want to know. Maybe the nation also wants to know,” Aakash Chopra concluded.