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Fans Divided as Gautam Gambhir-Backed Harshit Rana Earns Asia Cup 2025 Quota In Indian Squad
By CricShots - Aug 19, 2025 6:52 pm
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Indian cricket fans were left surprised as Harshit Rana earned a spot in India’s Asia Cup 2025 squad, edging out senior pacers Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna. The selectors named Rana as the third seamer alongside Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh, a decision that sparked plenty of debate within cricket circles.

Harshot Rana
Harshit Rana

Prasidh Krishna, hailed as the unsung hero of The Oval, was overlooked despite his impressive IPL 2025 campaign. Meanwhile, Mohammed Siraj too failed to make the cut, with workload management being cited as a possible reason since the West Indies red-ball tour begins just four days after the Asia Cup concludes.

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With that in mind, Rana was given the nod, rewarding his strong performances in both the Champions Trophy and the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, where he delivered crucial breakthroughs.

Yashasvi Jaiswal
Yashasvi Jaiswal 

For the Kolkata Knight Riders pacer, this selection marks his Asia Cup debut, a milestone that underlines the faith shown in him by the selectors and by mentors like Gautam Gambhir, who has long backed Rana to succeed against top opposition. While the decision to pick him ahead of seasoned names has been questioned, Rana’s ability to strike under pressure makes him a valuable asset in multi-national tournaments.

Alongside the main 15-man squad, the BCCI also announced five standby players who could be drafted in if required. The list includes Prasidh Krishna, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Riyan Parag, Washington Sundar, and Dhruv Jurel.

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Each of them has made strong claims for selection in recent months, but as chief selector Ajit Agarkar pointed out, only 15 slots are available, and some players inevitably have to wait for their turn. With India balancing immediate white-ball priorities and the upcoming Test series, Harshit Rana’s inclusion could well prove to be a defining moment for the youngster’s international career.