Harshit Rana returned to take 3 big wickets and become the first Indian bowler to take 3 wickets on debut across 3 formats.
Harshit Rana etched his name into Indian cricket history, becoming the first Indian bowler to claim three wickets on debut across all three formats.
This unique milestone came during the first ODI against England at Nagpur's Vidarbha Cricket Association stadium, where Rana's spirited performance helped India secure a significant win.
Rana's introduction to ODI cricket was anything but gentle. England's Philip Salt launched a fierce assault in his third over, plundering 26 runs. The young seamer, having conceded 37 runs in his first three overs, was briefly withdrawn from the attack. But this early setback only served to ignite his resolve.
The first breakthrough came when Ben Duckett (32) attempted to pull a short ball on Rana's return, only to misjudge it. The ball skewed off the open face of his bat, and Yashasvi Jaiswal, showing great athleticism, ran back from midwicket, keeping his eyes locked on the ball, and completed a spectacular diving catch.
In the very same over, Rana trapped Harry Brook (0) leg before wicket, sending him back to the pavilion without troubling the scoreboard.
But Rana wasn't done yet. His third spell saw him lock horns with Liam Livingstone. Rana's extra pace and bounce proved too much, as Livingstone (5) edged a pull shot to the 'keeper who made no mistake in completing the catch. Rana's exuberant celebration reflected the satisfaction of a hard-earned redemption.
This ODI debut follows a standout T20I performance where the right-arm seamer, filling in as a concussion substitute for Shivam Dube, made an immediate impact. His 3/33 helped India reverse the game in its favour.
'I just had to bowl as tight as possible,' Rana explained after the match. 'They were looking for room, and I had to stop them from getting that. That's what Rohit bhaiya (Rohit Sharma) and I discussed, and that's what I tried to do.'
Rana's international career has been meteoric, having debuted in all three formats in just three months. His Test debut came in the 2024 Border-Gavaskar Trophy series, where he claimed three wickets for 48 runs in his first innings.
'I've worked really hard for this,' Rana said after his ODI debut. 'It's a dream life, but I'm finally reaping the rewards of all the effort.'
Rana's ODI debut figures add to his already impressive international tally: Four wickets in Tests at an average of 50.75, and three wickets in T20Is at an average of 11.00.
© 2025