Day 2 of the first Test at the Optus stadium in Perth, India trying to polish off the Australian innings with Harshit Rana bowling with fire.
As the wickets around him tumbled, Mitchell Starc held firm.
Starc was effusive earlier in his praise for Rana's Test debut, particularly his maiden wicket of Travis Head, a legacy of the time the pace legend and the tyro speedster had spent in the Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL 2024 season.
'It was a good ball,' Starc remarked of Rana's zinger to clean up Head. 'I've only seen him with the white ball, but that was impressive. I'm sure it's a moment he'll cherish -- his first wicket in Test cricket.'
Rana continued to impress on Day 2 dismissing Nathan Lyon with a well-executed back-of-length delivery.
A moment of concern arose when a Rana delivery struck Starc on the helmet. The young pacer promptly checked on the Australian, who responded graciously, 'Don't worry about it.'
Starc playfully reminded Rana, 'I bowl faster than you, Harshit. I have a long memory.'
Both bowlers were instrumental in KKR's IPL 2024 title-winning campaign. Starc's fiery spells earned him the Player of the Match award in the final, while Rana's consistency made him a valuable asset.
Retained for Rs 4 crore (Rs 40 million) ahead of Sunday's IPL auction, Rana remains a cornerstone for KKR. Meanwhile, Starc was released by KKR and awaits the next chapter in his IPL journey.
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