'This format is difficult. You get 10 overs, and you have to play different roles in different phases.'
Former cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar believes that the economy of debutant Harshit Rana against England in the opening ODI in Nagpur can be overlooked given his impactful performance in the first ODI against England in Nagpur on Thursday.
After being clobbered for 37 runs in three overs, Rana took three crucial wickets to put the breaks on England's scoring.
In the last seven days, the young seamer has put in the hard yards and made his T20I and ODI debut for India. In his maiden T20I appearance, Harshit came in as a concussion substitute for Shivam Dube and left England rattled with his blistering pace. He struck at the crucial junctures and returned with match-winning figures of 3/53.
Harshit's stint in the ODIs started on a dreadful note. The English batters smacked him around the park in his first three overs in the powerplay.
But Harshit backed his strengths and scythed three key wickets for India, which played a massive part in England succumbing to 248.
The 23-year-old's seven-over spell ended with figures of 3/53 with an economy of 7.60, the most expensive in the Indian bowling unit.
'Its 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.' Manjrekar wrote on X.
Rana said he is "ready" to take the responsibility of bowling in the death overs after enjoying success in his ODI debut against England.
He exposed England's batting unit at crucial moments and became the first Indian bowler to take 3-plus wickets on his debut innings across the three formats.
Harshit is known for his expertise in death bowling in the T20I format. However, his utility in the 50-over format was limited to the new ball and middle overs.
India skipper Rohit Sharma did not bowl him in the final phase of the first innings but the young quick is ready to embrace it the responsibility of bowling at the death.
'I have bowled well in death before. I am ready for it.' he said in the post-match press conference.
'This format is difficult. You get 10 overs, and you have to play different roles in different phases,' he added.
Harshit conceded 11 runs in his first over and then backed it up with a maiden in his second.
He stuck to his line and lengths in the third over, but Philip Salt had read him like a book. The explosive opener left Harshit in disarray by reeling off four consecutive boundaries. He topped it up by swinging his bat across the line and smoked the ball past the boundary line for a flat six.
Despite walking on thin ice, Harshit wasn't willing to go down without putting up a fight. He returned to the attack in the final over of the powerplay and strick twice by removing Ben Duckett and Harry Brook.
Harshit was reintroduced into the attack in the middle overs and tasted success by celebrating Liam Livingstone's scalp. He played with Livingstone's hunger to play aggressively and lured him to come out and go for a wild swing. Livingstone caught a thick edge, which flew to KL Rahul's gloves behind the stumps.
'I believe people will keep talking. I want to deliver for my country. I don't focus on outside noise,' he added.
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