New Delhi (India), February 7: Former cricketer-turned-commentator Sanjay Manjrekar believes that the economy rate of debutant Harshit Rana in India’s opening ODI against England should not overshadow the impact he made with the ball. Manjrekar emphasized that it was the young seamer’s three crucial wickets that played a major role in sealing India’s victory.
Harshit, who made his debut in both T20Is and ODIs within the span of a week, had an eventful start to his ODI career. His T20I debut was marked by a fiery performance, coming in as a concussion substitute for Shivam Dube. He rattled England with his pace, claiming 3/33 and making a significant impact on the match.
However, Harshit’s ODI debut was not as smooth. The English batters dominated his first few overs, with Harshit conceding 37 runs off his initial three overs during the powerplay. Despite this rough start, Harshit refused to back down, sticking to his strengths and claiming three key wickets, which played a massive role in England being restricted to 248.
Harshit’s seven-over spell ended with figures of 3/53, with an economy rate of 7.60, the highest among the Indian bowlers. But according to Manjrekar, economy rate is not the key factor here. He tweeted, “It’s never really about economy. Harshit Rana was the most expensive Indian bowler, but he got three crucial wickets and in many ways, sealed the game for India to win at the halfway stage.”
Despite being hammered by Philip Salt, who took 26 runs off one of his overs, Harshit showed his resilience. In his return to the attack, he surprised Ben Duckett with a short-length delivery, forcing a top edge caught by Yashasvi Jaiswal, giving Harshit his maiden ODI wicket.
Just two balls later, Harshit made it two wickets in as many deliveries, dismissing England’s Harry Brook for a duck. His final scalp came when Liam Livingstone attempted to break free but edged the ball to wicketkeeper KL Rahul, giving Harshit his third wicket of the day.
Harshit, known for his death-over bowling in T20Is, was given the responsibility of delivering in the middle overs, and he delivered when it mattered most. His contribution helped India take control of the match, ultimately securing a 4-wicket win in the first ODI.
Manjrekar’s comments highlight the importance of impact in the game, with Harshit’s three wickets being decisive in India’s success, despite his economy rate being on the higher side.