"Kolkata guys, be happy, Harshit Rana won't play" - Aakash Chopra on whether KKR seamer will make his debut in IND vs BAN 2024 2nd T20I

Aakash Chopra reckons Harshit Rana won't get to make his international debut in the second T20I between India and Bangladesh in Delhi on Wednesday, October 9. The former India batter opined that the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) would be happy in such a scenario as the seamer will remain uncapped if he doesn't get a look-in in the third T20I as well.

Harshit wasn't part of India's playing XI in their seven-wicket win in the first T20I in Gwalior on Sunday, October 6. The Men in Blue went in with only two specialist pacers, Arshdeep Singh and Mayank Yadav, with Hardik Pandya and Nitish Kumar Reddy as seam-bowling all-rounders.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel 'Aakash Chopra,' he was asked whether Harshit would get to make his debut in the second T20I against Bangladesh.

"Kolkata guys, be happy, Harshit Rana won't play. He won't get his debut. So keep your fingers crossed for one more game. If he doesn't get his debut, an uncapped player will be ready for you," he responded (1:40).

The former India opener acknowledged that the KKR seamer deserves to make his T20I debut.

"Ideally, you think that if two players got their debuts, so should the third. If you see from that viewpoint, Harshit Rana was ahead in the pecking order. He was part of the Indian squad against Zimbabwe and then Sri Lanka as well. So if you are a part of the 15 for a slightly longer time, you hope that you only will be selected when the next chance comes," Chopra reasoned.

Harshit went to Zimbabwe as a replacement player for the first two T20Is but didn't get to make his international debut. He was also included in the ODI squad for the Sri Lanka tour but again, didn't get to play.

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"Mayank Yadav broke the queue and played, and did well too" - Aakash Chopra on speedster playing ahead of Harshit Rana

Aakash Chopra opined that Mayank Yadav shouldn't be dropped to make way for Harshit Rana.

"However, Mayank Yadav broke the queue and played, and did well too. Even if he hadn't done well, I would have said why should you make him sit out after one match," he said in the same video.

The cricketer-turned-commentator noted that the Indian team might be tempted to play the Delhi seamer on his home ground if the pitch is seamer-friendly.

"So logically speaking, Harshit won't play, unless the Arun Jaitley Stadium pitch looks slightly different, which means there is grass on it, and there are full chances of dew coming in the evening, which wasn't there in Gwalior. Then the Indian team might think that they have to play three proper fast bowlers," Chopra observed.

However, Chopra added that Hardik Pandya and Nitish Kumar Reddy's presence in the XI implies that Harshit won't yet be needed as a third seamer.

"However, what can be said there as well because Hardik bowls with the new ball and Nitish Kumar Reddy also gives two overs, and you already have two fast bowlers. So is a third pacer required? I feel the Indian team won't play Harshit Rana even in this game," he explained.

India are unlikely to leave out Mayank from the playing XI after his impressive debut. However, they could rest Arshdeep Singh to create a place for Harshit in the playing XI.