In a strong statement that has sparked debate across Indian cricket circles, India head coach Gautam Gambhir has slammed former captain Kris Srikkanth and veteran spinner Ravichandran Ashwin for “targeting” young pacer Harshit Rana over his selection for the upcoming ODI series against Australia.
Gambhir’s fiery response came soon after India’s emphatic seven-wicket win against the West Indies in Delhi, which sealed a 2-0 Test series whitewash. Speaking to reporters after the match, Gambhir didn’t hold back his emotions and stood firmly in defence of the 23-year-old Delhi fast bowler.
Gautam Gambhir launches a scathing attack on Kris Srikkanth and Ravi Ashwin
“It’s shameful that someone wanting to run his YouTube channel is targeting a 23-year-old. If you want to target me, do it. I can handle it, but trolling a 23-year-old kid for YouTube views is shameful,” said Gambhir in the post-match press conference. “His (Rana’s) father is not a selector. He has played cricket on his own merit. Don’t target these young boys.”
The controversy began when Kris Srikkanth, speaking on his YouTube channel, claimed that Harshit Rana was picked only because he was a “yes man” and a favourite of Gambhir. Srikkanth had earlier criticized Rana’s inclusion in the Asia Cup squad as well. Around the same time, Ashwin, on his own YouTube channel, expressed confusion about why Rana was being selected across formats despite not having impressive international numbers.
Their comments quickly gained traction on social media. The Delhi pacer, who rose to fame under Gambhir’s mentorship at Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) during IPL 2024, suddenly found himself in the middle of an online storm questioning his credibility.
Gambhir, however, stood by his player and called for maturity and responsibility from both former players and fans. “Social media trolling of Harshit is just not right, and imagine the mindset. Anyone’s kid will play cricket, and this is not acceptable. Everyone has a moral responsibility to make sure India’s cricket does well,” he said.
While Gambhir’s defense of Rana has received support from many, critics argue that the concerns over the pacer’s performance are valid. Rana’s early numbers for India have been far from impressive.
The youngster, who made his Test debut in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy earlier this year, picked up only four wickets in two matches at an average of 50.70. In white-ball cricket, his struggles continued, with an economy rate exceeding 10 in the last IPL season. Even during the Asia Cup, he managed only two wickets for 79 runs in two games.
Despite these modest figures, the selectors and the team management have continued to back him. Supporters of Gambhir’s view believe that such players deserve time to grow, not ridicule. Cricket experts have long debated the growing culture of ex-players running YouTube channels. Meanwhile, all eyes will now be on Harshit Rana for the upcoming ODI series against Australia.
The youngster will be looking forward to silencing the critics by making a telling impact on the field. The 23-year-old Delhi-born took 10 wickets in 5 games at an economy rate of 5.70.
The three-match ODI series between India and Australia will kick off on October 19, Sunday, at Optus Stadium in Perth. The second ODI will begin on October 23 at Adelaide Oval whereas the third and final ODI will kick off on October 25, Saturday, at the SCG.
India’s ODI squad:
Shubman Gill (Captain), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer (VC), Axar Patel, KL Rahul (WK), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Mohammed Siraj, Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna, Dhruv Jurel (WK), Yashasvi Jaiswal.
