"Lot of it has got to do with Gauti bhaiyya's presence" - Harshit Rana credits India coach for his change in mindset

Rookie Indian pacer Harshit Rana credited Gautam Gambhir for shaping his outlook towards the game after he received his maiden call-up to the ODI squad on Thursday. The right-arm seamer feels spending time with Gambhir in the Kolkata Knight Riders camp has done him a world of good.

Rana has been selected in the ODI squad to face Sri Lanka as one of four frontline pacers in the three-game series. While the youngster played only eight matches in IPL 2022 and 2023 combined, he put himself in the spotlight in the 2024 season of the franchise cricket league. In 13 games, he took 19 wickets as the Knight Riders clinched their third title under Gautam Gambhir's mentorship.

Speaking to PTI after receiving his maiden call-up, the young pacer said his father, former Delhi cricketer Amit Bhandari, and Gambhir have played a crucial role in his rise.

"If I have to name three people whom I am indebted to in this beautiful journey of mine, then it is my father for his efforts, my personal coach Amit Bhandari sir [former India and Delhi pacer] and above everyone else Gauti bhaiyya [Gambhir]. If my outlook towards the game has changed, a lot of it has got to do with Gauti bhaiyya's presence in the KKR dressing room and how he changed my mindset," he said.

The youngster also talked about the impact Gambhir's trust in him had.

"At the elite level, you require skills, but more than skills you require the heart to handle the pressure. Gauti bhaiyya would always tell me 'Mere ko tere pe trust hai. Tu match jeetake aayega'. [I trust you, you can win the match]," Rana added.

The Delhi-born cricketer has played only 14 List A games so far, taking 22 wickets, averaging 23.45. With Mohammed Siraj, Arshdeep Singh, and Khaleel Ahmed also in the squad, it remains to be seen if Rana gets the nod in the playing XI.

"I learnt there will always be a new day" - Harshit Rana

Rana added that Gambhir motivated him to overcome his fears as results aren't always as important as they seem.

"If you ask about the pressure part, it is Gautam Gambhir's advice. He would say, 'what's the worst thing that will happen? You will get hit and we can lose the match. But if you don't face your fears, how will you overcome them?' [I learnt] there will always be a new day, a new match and things will fall in place. That's what you train for."

Team India's tour of Sri Lanka begins on July 27 in Pallekele with the T20I series. The 50-over matches begin on August 2.