Young pacer Harshit Rana was called up to the Indian team ahead of the third and final Test against New Zealand in Mumbai after his all-round heroics powered Delhi to victory in the Ranji Trophy match against Assam.
Rana, who was already among the reserves, was released for Delhi's match against Assam before the second Test in Pune which India lost by 113 runs to concede an unassailable 0-2 lead in the thee-match series.
This was India's first loss in a Test series at home in 12 years.
Rana will join the Indian squad in Mumbai on Wednesday, two days before the match gets underway at the Wankhede Stadium.
The Delhi pacer is likely to make his debut in the Mumbai Test, said a report in The Indian Express.
The 22-year-old has been picked in the 18-member squad for the five-Test series in Australia, starting in Perth from November 22.
"Harshit will join the team tomorrow," a BCCI source told PTI.
With Indian team management carefully monitoring the pacers' workload ahead of the Australia tour, there is a possibility that spearhead Jasprit Bumrah is rested from the third Test, raising the possibility of Rana's debut.
Rana had taken a five-wicket haul against Assam in the first innings and followed it up with two wickets in the second essay. Delhi won the game by 10 wickets.
Delhi head coach Sarandeep Singh said Rana is ready for the grind of Test cricket.
"He is ready to play Test cricket. He is a positive guy, he knows what he is doing. He is ready for the highest level," Sarandeep, a former BCCI selector, told PTI.
"He bowled his heart out for Delhi, he is always looking for wickets and is handy all rounder. He is like a horse, can bowl long spells. I hope he does really well in Australia," he added.
Rana bowled 19.3 overs in the first innings for his five wicket haul against Assam before taking two wickets in 11 overs in the second, while also scoring a half-century.
Rana had also impressed in two games he played in the Duleep Trophy last month.
(With inputs from PTI)
