Delhi’s fast bowler Harshit Rana and his senior teammate Prasidh Krishna are in contention for the spot of the third fast bowler in India’s playing XI for the first Test against Australia starting on November 22 in Perth. Harshit, who has played only 10 first-class matches, is known for consistently clocking speeds above 140 km/h and generating good bounce, which has earned him high praise, even impressing some renowned experts.
During India’s net practice at the WACA ground in Perth, Harshit troubled the batters multiple times with his pace. On the other hand, India’s bowling coach Morne Morkel has spent significant time with Prasidh Krishna, who recently showcased an impressive performance in the ‘A’ series against Australia in Mackay and Melbourne. Prasidh has the experience of playing two Test matches and is known for his ability to extract bounce.
Meanwhile, Mohammed Shami could make his return to international cricket with the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, but it might happen only in the latter half of the series. Sources have indicated that the BCCI medical team and national selectors want Shami to play a few more competitive matches in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy to assess his physical condition after playing multiple games, even though it is a white-ball tournament.
Bengal’s head coach Laxmi Ratan Shukla said, “The Bengal team for the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy will be selected tomorrow. If Shami does not go for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, I believe he will be available for Bengal.” It is understood that the selection committee does not want to take a risk by rushing Shami into the team after completing an extensive rehabilitation program and playing only one Ranji Trophy match. However, Shami, who returned to competitive cricket after a year, delivered an impressive performance in Indore against Madhya Pradesh, taking seven wickets and helping Bengal secure their first win of the season.