The selection of Delhi fast bowler Harshit Rana and Andhra all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series in Australia was met with scepticism within the Indian cricket community. The majority, if not all, expressed disapproval regarding their inclusion in the Indian Test squad, citing their insufficient experience in red-ball cricket. However, India’s head coach Gautam Gambhir, who was reportedly instrumental in their selection, received full support from the chairman of selectors, Ajit Agarkar.

Prior to his selection, Nitish had participated in only 23 first-class matches, accumulating 779 runs at an average of 21.05, which included one century and two half-centuries. He also claimed 56 wickets at an average of 26.98, featuring two five-wicket hauls. In the last Ranji Trophy season, he demonstrated his capability to swing the ball effectively in the mid-130s and emerged as Andhra's leading wicket-taker with 25 wickets at an average of 18.76.

Upon the announcement of Nitish's selection for the Australia tour, which came just weeks after his international debut in the home T20I series against Bangladesh, he was described as "undercooked" by former Indian cricketer Dodda Ganesh. Additionally, batting legend Sunil Gavaskar voiced his reservations about including Nitish in the playing XI for the series opener in Perth.

The situation surrounding Harshit was particularly contentious, as rumours circulated suggesting that the Indian Premier League (IPL) had unduly influenced Test selection. The fast bowler gained prominence following an impressive performance in IPL 2024, where he took 19 wickets in 13 matches, contributing to the Kolkata Knight Riders' title victory under Gambhir's mentorship. Two months later, Gambhir was appointed as the new head coach of the men's national team, and Rana received his first call-up for the tour of Sri Lanka, although he was not included in the playing XI. Subsequently, Rana was recalled for the T20I series against Bangladesh, yet he did not make his debut once again.

Weeks later, the 22-year-old, who had participated in only 10 First Class matches for Delhi, achieving 43 wickets at an average of 24, was selected for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series, with speculation suggesting he was poised to make his debut in the opening match in Perth. In addition to veteran cricketers questioning the selection based on experience in the traditional format, fans contended that Gambhir had postponed Rana's debut due to the new IPL auction regulations. Had the right-arm bowler made his debut against Bangladesh in early October, KKR would have been required to pay over INR 4 crore or release the young player, complicating their auction strategy. However, since Rana debuted after October 31, the deadline for submitting retention lists for all franchises, KKR was able to retain him for INR 4 crore under the uncapped player rule.

As reported by the Indian Express, Gambhir encountered opposition regarding the selection of Nitish and Rana within the BCCI, not only from fans and cricket analysts. Nevertheless, Agarkar consistently supported Gambhir throughout this process.

This situation resembled a moment reminiscent of Dilip Vengsarkar for the two players. The former national selector, known for his keen eye for cricketing talent, had famously opposed many during his tenure in the BCCI, including members of his own committee, to advocate for Indian cricket's prominent figures – Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. Vengsarkar had identified the former during his U-19 days, and despite facing resistance from then-India coach Gary Kirsten and captain MS Dhoni, he persisted in his efforts to include Kohli in the national team until his debut in 2007.

How did Nitish and Rana perform so far in Australia?

Agarkar and Gambhir's intuition regarding player selection was confirmed in Perth. Nitish has emerged as India's most reliable performer in the two Test matches conducted thus far, accumulating 126 runs across four innings at an average of 42 while batting in the No. 7 position, in addition to claiming two wickets. Conversely, Rana made a notable debut by taking four wickets and added another four in the warm-up match held in Canberra the previous week. Nevertheless, he encountered criticism after failing to take any wickets while conceding 86 runs in Adelaide.

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