Harshit Rana ready to take on death-over challenge in ODIs
What's the story
Indian cricket's next big thing, Harshit Rana, has said he is ready to take the onus of bowling in death overs in ODIs.
This comes after his impressive ODI debut against England.
Although he was expensive, the pacer left a mark on his ODI debut for India against England in Nagpur on Thursday.
He broke England's batting line-up at crucial moments, becoming the first Indian bowler to take three or more wickets on debut innings in all formats.
Adaptability
Rana's T20I expertise and readiness for ODI challenges
Rana is known for his death bowling prowess in the T20I format. However, in the 50-over format, his role has been limited to the new ball and middle overs.
In a post-match press conference, Rana said, "I have bowled well in death before. I am ready for it."
He admitted that this format is difficult where a bowler gets 10 overs and has to adjust to different roles at different times.
Debut
Rana's T20I debut and performance in ODI
Rana's entry into the Indian team was fast-tracked, making his T20I debut in the fourth match against England.
He played as a concussion substitute for Shivam Dube and bowled brilliantly with figures of 3/33.
Despite struggling in his ODI debut where he gave away 11 runs in his first over, Rana made a comeback by taking two wickets in the last over of the powerplay and another during middle overs.
Determination
Rana's resilience and focus on national duty
Despite the pressure, Rana stayed strong and concentrated on his duty toward the nation.
He said, "I believe people will keep talking. I want to deliver for my country. I don't focus on outside noise."
His ODI debut ended with figures of 3/53 in seven overs at an economy of 7.60.
Despite having the highest economy among Indian bowlers, his three important wickets helped India defeat England.