Pace bowler Harshit Rana credited the Head Coach of India, Gautam Gambhir after earning his maiden ODI call-up for the tour of Sri Lanka. He was a part of the Indian squad for the first two T20Is against Zimbabwe earlier this month, but did not get a chance as well. He was named in the ODI squad alongside Arshdeep Singh, Khaleel Ahmed and Mohammed Siraj. Rana also expressed gratitude to his father, personal coach and Gambhir for shaping his career as well.

However, it was under Gambhir’s mentorship that Rana did well for KKR in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024. Rana picked up 19 wickets from 13 games and helped the KKR lift the trophy for the third time after 2012 and 2014 as well. Rana thanked Gambhir for never losing faith in him and backing him to win games as well.

“If I have to name three people whom I am indebted to in this beautiful journey of mine, then it is my father, for his efforts, my personal coach Amit Bhandari sir (former India and Delhi pacer) and above everyone else, Gauti bhaiyya (Gautam Gambhir),” Rana told PTI. “If my outlook towards the game has changed, a lot of it has got to do with Gauti bhaiyya’s presence in the KKR dressing room and how he changed my mindset. At the elite level, you require skills but more than skills you require the heart to handle the pressure. Gauti bhaiyya would always tell me ‘Mere ko tere pe trust hai. Tu match jeetake aayega’. (I trust you, you can win the match),” he further added.

However, Harshit Rana has played only 14 List A matches where he has claimed 22 wickets which came at an economy rate of 5.54 with a couple of 4-wicket hauls to his name. India’s tour of Sri Lanka will start with the ODI series, starting Saturday, July 27 at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium as well.