Harshit Rana will make his Test debut and replace Jasprit Bumrah in Team India; desperate move to stop New Zealand

India is suffering. This is a team that doesn’t take home defeats lightly. Captain Rohit Sharma may have publicly declared that losing the home series after 12 years is “allowed” but in the dressing room he will be restlessly looking for a solution to the problem and stop a repeat of what happened 24 years ago when they were caught off guard. Test series at home from South Africa. In their attempt to stem the tide, some changes to the eleven were expected. Call it desperation if you like, but India have made another interesting addition to their squad for the third and final match against New Zealand in Mumbai. Delhi pacer Harshit Rana has been a secret selection in the squad and is likely to make his debut at the Wankhede Stadium on Friday (November 1).

Harshit Rana’s stock has risen rapidly since Gautam Gambhir took over as India head coach following their T20 World Cup triumph earlier this year. The right-arm spinner has been knocking on doors ever since he impressed Gambhir for Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL 2024. Gambhir knows Rana’s game well, having coached him at KKR this season. The pacer had a great IPL, hitting crucial shots and taking 19 wickets in KKR’s triumph. His ability to surprise batters with extra pace and good length bounce is what gives him his edge. Rana is also knocking on doors much faster than all of its closest competitors.

But for an untimely health issue, he would have made his T20I debut against Bangladesh. The wait, however, is coming to an end as the Indian team management is considering awarding him the Test cap in Mumbai. If it’s a normal Wankhede delivery, India will opt for a three-man pace attack and that’s when Rana will come into the picture. If they stick with three spinners and two pacers, there is a chance that Jasprit Bumrah will be rested or the all-rounder will take the field. Depth of Akash.

India have some tough choices to make regarding the nature of the pitch. They lost the first Test in Bangalore due to welding conditions. As they turned onto a spin-friendly track in Pune, their batters turned over in front of Mitchell Santner. However, the chances of treating the defeat in Pune as a one-off are greater as India are likely to opt for another spin-friendly option. If that is the case, then it might be a good idea to rest Bumrah, who has played the last four Tests at home without a break.

Harshit Rana can add pace and depth to the batting.

After bringing in all-rounder Washington Sundar at the last minute (he took 11 wickets in the second Test), India are looking to make a similar move by getting the speedy all-rounder for the third Test by adding Harshit Rana to the list. squad.

With batting failures occurring regularly in India, bowlers who can bat are the first choice. Rohit and Gambhir are on the same page when it comes to adding depth to the game.

The Wankhede pitch has something for players with extra bounce and Rana could make his Test debut. After his fine all-round performance (59 runs and 7 wickets) in hosts Delhi’s Ranji Trophy win over Assam on Tuesday, the team management will be hoping he makes an instant impact like Washington, who was also included in the squad straight away after a solid result. Ranji show for Tamil Nadu vs Delhi.

Rana is also part of the 18-member squad for the upcoming Border Gavaskar Trophy series in Australia, which is part of a six-member attack led by Jasprit Bumrah. This will be a good opportunity for the team management to evaluate Rana at the international level.