Harshit Rana of India celebrates taking the wicket of Nathan Lyon of Australia for 5 runs during day two of the First Test match in the series between Australia and India at Perth Stadium on November 23, 2024 in Perth, Australia.
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Thursday night was a difficult one for Harshit Rana. Having been told about his imminent Test debut, the Delhi speedster tossed and turned as excitement and nerves equally kept him awake for a long time. But when he did turn up in the India whites on Friday in Perth at the Optus Stadium, it became the turn of the Aussie batters to have sleepless nights.

Travis Head, his first Test wicket, was the result of an incredible delivery that angled in and straightened just a shade to clip off-stump. “The idea was to attack the stumps and I got the wicket. In the team-meeting we had made some plans and I stuck to it,” Harshit told the media on Saturday (November 23, 2024). And as for an inkling about his debut? “I got to know on the previous day of the Test and I did cry after making a speech in the meeting,” he said.

The 22-year-old India pacer praised the leadership skills of Jasprit Bumrah and also the batting effort of Yashasvi Jaiswal and K.L. Rahul. “Once Bumrah bhai bowled like that, it also inspires you to do the same and you are bound to get wickets. Rahul and Jaiswal worked extremely hard on this pitch and it inspired all of us,” Harshit said.

Still in awe over his Test debut, Harshit quipped: “This is a big dream for me, to play for India. Six years ago, my father and I used to wake up early to watch cricket in Australia through television and now I am here, this is huge for me. The camp before this match really helped me adjust to the conditions.”

The first Test’s second day witnessed some drama on Saturday. And it centred on some banter between Mitchell Starc and Harshit Rana, which the latter said was done with a sense of humour. “We are very good friends and in the IPL I play with him, so I have a very good bonding with him. This keeps happening, it is nothing major, we just exchanged a few words,” Harshit said.

Australian players walk back to the pavilion after the end of day 2 of the first Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test in Perth on November 23, 2024.
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After a hard day for his wards on the field, Australian coach Andrew McDonald discussed his team’s prospects with the media in the current first Test at the Optus Stadium in Perth on Saturday (November 23, 2024).

Excerpts..

Playing arena

“The wicket has changed considerably and if you look at the seam and swing, it was down compared to yesterday (Friday). (K.L.) Rahul and (Yashasvi) Jaiswal played extremely well. Our guys got the balls in the right areas, and there were some play-and-misses, so anything can happen if you get some edges on that, and it could have been a totally different day (against India).”

Mood and strategy

“The morale is always good, it’s a pretty level team, whether it’s a good day or a bad day. There’s no doubt we are clearly well behind the game at this stage, but that’s not to say that tomorrow can’t change very quickly. Test cricket ebbs and flows. It’s about 20 odd overs to the second new ball, we have got to work out a way to navigate through a few batters before that second new ball arrives and that could be our entry point.”

First day nerves

“No doubt both teams would have had some nerves leading into a big series, so there might have been some errors. I think as a batting unit when you get a look at a wicket and then obviously your bowlers go about their work, and you get a second opportunity, it looks a bit different in terms of your mindset. You know what to expect and you can work from there.”