Speaking after the five-wicket win against Assam in the Ranji Trophy game in Delhi, Rana said he had not received any indication that he was going to be part of the team and it was a “big deal” for him to be selected.
“Only when the team was announced did I find out that I was going to Australia. But I had indications that I might be selected for the Australia tour because they invited me with the team for preparation. Being selected to tour Australia is a big deal for me. “The competitive spirit that I enjoy playing cricket with on the field is very similar to that of Australia,” Rana said as quoted by ESPNCricinfo.
He also said that his father dreamed of him playing a Test at Lord’s against England, but he likes Australia better.
“My father’s dream was for me to play a Test against England at Lord’s one day, but personally I like Australia better,” Rana said.
Rana, who is yet to make his international debut, has been playing for Indian white-ball teams since his breakthrough Indian Premier League (IPL) season in 2024 with champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), in which the pacer took 19 wickets in a single. average score of 20.15 in 13 matches.
The 22-year-old said that exposure and interaction with the Indian team has helped him a lot as a cricketer and as a person.
“I have been constantly working for the Indian team since the IPL and have learned a lot there. This lesson is not just about cricket but about life and how an athlete progresses his career and life. Even as a cricketer, I have grown a lot working with the Indian team,” he said.
He said that he enjoys bowling to legendary batters Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in the nets as their intentions are always high and he gets valuable advice from them. He also spoke about his relationship with pace leaders Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj and discussed the Australia tour with them.
“I like playing both of them (Rohit and Virat) in the nets because they bat in the nets with the same intention as they do in the match. So you don’t have the opportunity to make a mistake or serve the ball like they usually do. I also spoke to Virat (Kohli) bhaiya and Rohit (Sharma) bhaiya so they just told me to focus on my length and I am trying to do the same here,” Rana said.
“Recently, when I was in Team India, I was constantly talking to Jassi (Jasprit Bumrah) and (Mohammed) Siraj Bhaiya about what if I ever get a chance to play there (Australia), what should I do and what should I do? Don’t decide what length will be here and what won’t. I got an insight into all these things from both the bowlers and interacting with them helped me a lot,” he concluded.
Right-arm seamer Mohammed Shami was not included in the squad as India announced their team for the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) series against Australia next month.
Since the end of the 2023 ODI World Cup, the Indian pacer has suffered an ankle injury which has kept him out of the field since November last year.
Nitish Reddy played a stunning T20I series against Bangladesh. He produced a memorable performance, scoring 74 runs and taking two wickets to help India to a massive 86-run win over Bangladesh at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi on Wednesday.
Easwaran started well after the Duleep Trophy, scoring four tons in eight innings, and managed to score 632 runs in eight innings at a strike rate of 105.33 with a best score of 191 against Mumbai in the Irani Cup.
Kuldeep Yadav could not be selected for the Australia tour as he was referred to the BCCI Center of Excellence after the end of the ongoing Test series against New Zealand for a long-term solution to his chronic left groin problem.
Opener Rohit Sharma will lead the team while right-arm seamer Jasprit Bumrah will be his deputy.
The most awaited Border-Gavaskar series between India and Australia will begin on November 22 with the first Test in Perth.
The second Test, scheduled for December 6-10 at Adelaide Oval, will be played in an exciting day-night format under the stadium lights. Fans will then turn their attention to The Gabba in Brisbane for the third Test, which runs from December 14 to 18.
The traditional Boxing Day Test, which will take place from December 26 to 30 at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne, will bring the series to its penultimate stage.
The fifth and final Test, to be played at the Sydney Cricket Ground from January 3 to 7, will be the highlight of the series, promising a dramatic conclusion to an exciting contest.
India’s squad for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy: Rohit Sharma (C), Jasprit Bumrah (VK), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, K.L. Rahul, Rishabh Pant (VK), Sarfaraz Khan, Dhruv Jurel (VK), R. Ashwin, R. Jadeja, Mohd. Siraj, Akash Deep, Prasidh Krishna, Harshit Rana, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar.
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