Former India opener Sadagoppan Ramesh did not hold back while criticizing the decision to send Harshit Rana ahead of Shivam Dube in the batting order during the second T20I between India and Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Ramesh took to social media to say, “Someone who cooks well can’t be made a driver and a good driver can’t become the cook. Likewise, the management should focus on each player’s strength and main role in the team and aim to get the best out of them in that role. If they do something extra, that’s well and good. But their secondary skill should not become the primary role and I fear that’s happening in this Indian team. A bowler who can bat needs to deliver with the ball first and likewise a batter who can bat must deliver with the ball first. The management needs to be clear on this. That’s where India are slipping right now.”
After a disastrous start left Team India at 49/5 by the eighth over, the management opted for a surprise move by promoting Harshit Rana to bat at number seven. Rana rose to the occasion, contributing 35 runs from 33 balls and helping relieve some pressure. However, this meant Shivam Dube, expected to bat higher up, was only sent in at number eight with eight overs remaining and managed just four runs from two balls.
India Lost
India eventually posted 125, with Abhishek Sharma top-scoring and forming a valuable 56-run partnership with Harshit Rana for the sixth wicket. While Harshit’s contribution validated his elevation, the decision has been met with substantial critique, especially with Australia securing a four-wicket win in the match and taking a 1-0 lead in the five-match series.
Ramesh’s remarks highlight a growing sentiment: management should play to each team member’s strengths and prioritize primary roles to maximize results, rather than overly relying on secondary skills or makeshift strategies.
Abhishek On Harshit
Speaking after the match, Abhishek lauded Rana’s batting ability and revealed the duo’s net session duels. “I knew Harshit could bat he hits sixes off me a lot in the nets. He told me, ‘let’s play a little normal’, and that helped. The right-left combination worked well, and that’s why he went up the order ahead of Shivam Dube,” Abhishek said during the post-match presentation.
