Harshit Rana has been the flavour of the season as far as India’s emerging crop of fast bowlers is concerned but one of head coach Gautam Gambhir’s finds is unlikely to start in India’s playing eleven in the Champions Trophy with Arshdeep Singh still considered way ahead in terms of talent and quality. The Indian team management gave Harshit all three ODIs against England, and if one is absolutely fair to the burly 6-feet-2-inch tall Delhi speedster, he has not looked out of place.

While Arshdeep enjoys a better economy rate of 5.17 compared to Harshit’s 6.95 per over, it is the former’s ability to bring the ball back into the right-handers during the Powerplay overs that will tilt the scales in his favour in the tournament starting February 19.

Arshdeep, who also has only nine ODIs since he made his debut in a short ODI series in New Zealand in 2022, will be ahead on most counts when one looks at the parameters that would be taken into account based on the conditions available at the Dubai International Stadium.

“Harshit has improved by leaps and bounds in terms of reducing his weight and has become sharper in terms of speed. But if I had to choose one among the two as Mohammed Shami’s partner, it has to be Arshdeep as he can swing the ball both ways and is a left-armer.

“I would be a trifle surprised if Harshit starts ahead of Arshdeep,” former national selector Devang Gandhi, who has also seen Rana from close quarters as Delhi Ranji coach, told PTI.

India will start with a clash against Bangladesh on February 20 here.

It is understood that Harshit started in all three games against England because the team management, currently helmed by Gautam Gambhir, wanted to check out if his protege could be considered as Jasprit Bumrah’s replacement, and also this was the only series where Shami’s fitness could also have been tested in real terms.

Hence, Arshdeep was rested in the first two games and only got a chance when the think-tank decided to rest Shami, who had played back to back ODIs.

Former India opener WV Raman, one of the most respected coaches in the country, feels experience will be a key factor which should go in favour of the Punjab pacer.

“Arshdeep, due to his relative experience and the left arm being a different dimension, has an advantage. The Dubai track will be decent for the pacers,” Raman observed.

He also raised a key point about playing multi-nation event compared to bilateral series.

“A bit more experience always helps in ICC events, which is a different ball game from bilaterals. In ICC event, you will play different opposition every day and accordingly an experienced bowler changes his plans,” said Raman, who has also been India U-19 batting coach and head coach of the national women’s team.

Gandhi, on his part, also pointed out the options Arshdeep brings to the table in various phases of the match.

“Harshit hits deck and gets it to move a bit both ways after pitching along with those effective occasional heavy balls in the range of mid 140s. But when you have Arshdeep, he can swing the new ball and also use angles of the crease effectively when he comes round the wicket during death overs,” he explained.

An NCA Level 2 coach, who had watched the India U-19 team play in Dubai during the Asia Cup, had observed that there is at least five to six inches more bounce on offer at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.

“If you have that shade extra bounce for a swing bowler then playing Arshdeep is a no-brainer. Harshit is a good talent but if Shami is fit, then Arshdeep, for variation, experience and game awareness partners him,” the former NCA coach said.

Mayank Yadav bowled with rattling pace in a promising debut while mystery spinner Varun Chakaravarthy made an impressive comeback to set up India’s dominating seven-wicket win over Bangladesh in the series-opening T20 in Gwalior on Sunday. India, oozing with fresh talent, bundled out Bangladesh for a below par 127 before the batters played an array of audacious strokes to gun down the target in 11.5 overs. The starts with the ball was rookie Mayank and Varun while sizzling cameos from Sanju Samson (29 off 19), skipper Suryakumar Yadav (29 off 14) and Hardik Pandya (39 not out off 16 ) ensured a breezy chase for the hosts.

A full house at the newly built Shrimant Madhavrao Scindia Cricket Stadium witnessed high quality bowling from India and largely ordinary batting from their opponents.

All eyes were on Mayank (1/21) ever since he marked his run up before toss and the 22-year-old from Delhi did not disappoint in his first competitive game in more than five months.

Having attracted global eyeballs for consistently bowling in the 150kmph range during the IPL, Mayank was able to generate serious pace in his opening spell of 2-1-3-1. His first over was a maiden.

Having suffered a side strain shortly after a sensational IPL debut, there were question marks over his fitness in the long term but he dispelled some of those doubts on Sunday.

Mayank was able to hit 145.7 kmph only in his second ball of the evening before hitting 148.7 kmph with the first ball of his second over.

Veteran batter Mahmudullah was among the batters who were wary of his extra pace and ended up becoming the pacer’s first international wicket. The 38-year-old tried to improvise by charging down the wicket but ended up slicing a regulation catch to Washington Sundar at deep point.

Varun (3/31), brought back into the team after nearly three years, troubled the Bangladesh batters who failed to read him. Among them was middle-order batter Jaker Ali who had stumps his castled with a ball that turned back in.

Like Mayank, Varun too was brought inside the powerplay. The mystery spinner bounced back after conceding 15 runs in his opening over by dismissing Towhid Hridoy (12).

At 64 for five in 10 overs, Bangladesh’s innings was going nowhere and India were able to press on the advantage thereafter.

Mayank returned to bowl the 13th which went for 15 as Bangladesh batters used his extra pace to collect a six and four in the third man region. He ended his quota by bowling the 19th over which included a couple of yorkers. Left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh (3/14) had played his part his in the powerplay by removing openers Litton Das and Parvez Hossain Emon before picking his third wicket to end Bangladesh’s innings. Mehidy Hasan Miraz was the top-scorer for the visitors with 35 not out off 32 balls.

India came out to bat with uber aggressive intent with Abhishek Sharma (16 off 7) and Samson going hard from the get go. Promoted to the top of the order, Samson played a few delightful shots before falling to off-spinner Mehidy Hasan Miraz.

Pick up shots off pacer Taskin Ahmed in the fifth over was the highlight of Suryakumar’s innings. The result was a foregone conclusion when India raced to 71 for two in the powerplay. Debutant Nitish Reddy (16 not out off 15) and Hardik got the team home in a canter. Hardik went ballistic in the 12th over bowled by Taskin Ahmed to finish the game in style.

A sell out crowd was in attendance as international cricket returned to Gwalior after 14 years. The stadium built in the outskirts of the city made its international debut.

Team India in action© AFP

Virat Kohli after PBKS vs RCB IPL 2024 game.© Instagram