NEW DELHI:
Harshit Rana
, a 22-year-old fast bowler from South Extension, Delhi, expressed his unwavering determination upon receiving his first call-up to the
Indian ODI team
, which includes renowned players like
Virat Kohli
and
Rohit Sharma
. In an emotional statement, he said, "Delhi mein dil tooth sakta hai par humne kabhi hausla nahi haraa (You can get hurt in Delhi but I never lost hope)."
Despite facing numerous setbacks and being overlooked during his journey from the junior levels, Rana's exceptional performance in the IPL, where he claimed 19 wickets and played a crucial role in Kolkata Knight Riders' victorious campaign, finally earned him recognition on the national stage.
"I believed in working hard but whenever I used to get hurt after being overlooked in age-group teams, I would sit in my room and start sobbing. My father Pradeep never ever gave up hope.
"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 during an exclusive interaction on Thursday.
"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)," Rana recalled his interactions with the new India head coach.
In 2022, he began on a positive trajectory, featuring in seven
Ranji Trophy
matches for Delhi and securing 28 wickets. Unfortunately, subsequent injuries hindered his participation in numerous red ball fixtures.
Nevertheless, he has showcased exceptional prowess in white ball cricket for Delhi during the
Vijay Hazare Trophy
, claiming 22 wickets in 14 games and 28 in 25 T20 matches.
Performing at the iconic Eden Gardens stadium, packed with a roaring crowd of 60,000 spectators, the bowler executed his arsenal of deliveries with precision. He consistently hit the blockhole, fired wide yorkers, and deceived batsmen with cleverly disguised slow bouncers. So how has he managed to back his skills under pressure?
"If you ask about the pressure part it is Gautam Gambhir's advice. He would say, 'what's the worst thing that will happen? You will get hit and we can lose the match. But if you don't face your fears, how will you overcome them'?
"There will always be a new day, a new match and things will fall in place. That's what you train for," said the lanky player, who had trained under Bhandari and Narinder Singh Negi in Delhi's Players' Academy.
"If you talk about skill-set, then Bhandai sir and Negi sir have been my personal coaches for the past two years," he added.
Bhandari, a seasoned cricketer from Delhi who represented India in a handful of ODIs from 2000 to 2004, shared a fascinating tale. He recounted an incident that shed light on an intriguing aspect of his cricketing journey.
"I didn't know who this boy was. In fact, when he came to me, he had not played for KKR but had played Ranji Trophy. He only called me up and said, 'sir, can you train me?'," Bhandari, who is an assistant coach with Gujarat Titans, remembered their first meeting.
"First day he came, I didn't give him a new ball but an old ball and told him the areas with instructions. Just bowl and don't look at me or come to me. If I feel like it, I will call you."
Bhandari was impressed enough to start working on the bowler.
"What I saw was a nice run-up but once he reached the crease, after load-up, everything needed a bit of work. The non-bowling hand, alignment and he was ready to work," he said.
Bhandari believes Rana possesses the necessary skills and abilities to excel in international competitions.
"In Delhi, you always hear about corruption, groupism, nepotism. Now look at the bonafide Delhi greats. Most have within two years of Delhi debut played for India.
"Viru (Sehwag), Gauti (Gambhir), Ishant (Sharma), Rishabh (Pant) all had talent and didn't hover around domestic cricket for long. If you are a talented Delhi cricketer, the system can't stop you. And if you aren't, then even in 15 years, you won't make it," Bhandari said.
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