Ravichandran Ashwin Praises Harshit Rana's Impressive ODI Performance

Ashwin Commends Harshit Rana's Four-Wicket Haul

In a recent discussion, former Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin expressed his admiration for Harshit Rana following the latter's remarkable four-wicket haul in One Day Internationals (ODIs). Ashwin noted that Rana possesses the unique ability to catch batters off guard, showcasing his potential as a wicket-taker.

After facing criticism for some lackluster performances, Rana made a strong comeback, claiming the wickets of key middle-order players including Alex Carey, Cooper Connolly, and Mitchell Owen. On his YouTube channel, Ash ki Baat, Ashwin highlighted the dismissal of Carey, where a top edge was caught by Shreyas Iyer, who sprinted in from backward point after the batter faced a delivery that was 'slow and up.'

Ashwin praised Rana's bowling, emphasizing the importance of learning to construct effective spells to enhance his game. He remarked, 'Rana's bowling today deserves credit. The way he got Carey out was impressive; he deceived the batter with a slow delivery before following it up with a short and wide ball. This unpredictability is his strength.'

Despite some early struggles, Rana's performance, particularly his wicket of Mitch Owen, demonstrated why he has the trust of team leaders like Gambhir and Gill. Ashwin believes Rana has a bright future ahead, provided he continues to develop his skills.

Turning his attention to the spinners, Ashwin reflected on Kuldeep Yadav's performance, who, despite not being at his best, managed to take a wicket in his first match of the series. He also praised Washington Sundar for his two wickets and Axar Patel for contributing to the bowling attack.

'Kuldeep is one of my favorites. Although he wasn't at his peak, I'm glad he played. Washington Sundar deserves recognition as well. He typically maintains his line but adjusted his length slightly for left-handers, showing his understanding of bowling dynamics,' Ashwin commented.

In the match, Australia won the toss and chose to bat first, establishing a 61-run partnership between Mitchell Marsh and Travis Head. However, they ultimately collapsed to 236 all out, with Rana and Sundar leading the bowling attack.

During India's chase of 237 runs, they started strong with a 69-run opening partnership. Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli then formed an unbeaten 168-run partnership, leading India to victory with nine wickets remaining. Rohit was awarded both 'Player of the Match' and 'Player of the Series' for his outstanding performance throughout.