"Expose Him, Not Shield": Gill, Gambhir Sent Blunt 'Harshit Rana' Message

Former India A captain Priyank Panchal took to social media to send a big message to the team management after India lost their first ODI encounter against Australia in Perth on Sunday. India included Harshit Rana over Kuldeep Yadav in the playing XI but the Delhi-based cricketer failed to impress with his performance. He scored just one run from 2 balls at No. 9 and then conceded 27 runs in four overs during the rain-curtailed match. Panchal pointed out that if the team expects Rana to provide batting solidity at No. 8, he needs to be exposed to the role and not be shielded by the presence of an additional batter.

Panchal added that Kuldeep should be included in the playing XI for the second ODI encounter in place of either Washington Sundar or Nitish Kumar Reddy.

“If Harshit Rana is being seen as someone who can tonk the ball at No. 8, then we should expose him to that role in the next two years and not shield him by including an additional batter. Kuldeep should come in for Nitish or Washi, as in Jassi's absence he's the go-to wicket taker #AUSvIND," Panchal tweeted.

If Harshit Rana is being seen as someone who can tonk the ball at No. 8, then we should expose him to that role in the next two years and not shield him by including an additional batter. Kuldeep should come in for Nitish or Washi, as in Jassi's absence he's the go-to wicket…

— Priyank Panchal (@PKpanchal09) October 19, 2025

Meanwhile, Arshdeep Singh didn't dwell too much on Virat Kohli's eight-ball duck during the seven-wicket defeat in the series opener against Australia in Perth and expects runs to flow from the chase-master's bat in the remaining two ODIs, a format that he has "mastered".

Since lifting the Champions Trophy on March 9, Virat returned to the international circuit at Perth's Optus Stadium on Sunday for the first time in more than six months. Fans expected Virat to engineer a run fest in the seaming conditions, but Mitchell Starc lured him to chase for a big drive away from his body.

Virat took the bait and gave away a thick outside edge, and Cooper Connolly completed a catch with an acrobatic effort at backward point to punch the 36-year-old's return for an eight-ball duck.Despite the misfiring start in his 303rd ODI, Arshdeep has banked on Virat to find his lost mojo. The 26-year-old wants to continue to revel in his presence in the dressing room, which is a "blessing" for him.

"He's (Virat) played more than 300 one-dayers for India. So form is just a word for him. He knows how to get going. And it's like a blessing to be in the same dressing room with him. And going forward, I feel there'll be a lot of runs for him in this series as well. And talking about the format he's playing, he's mastered this one. So I don't know how he feels about it (his dismissal)," Arshdeep told reporters in the post-match press conference.

(With IANS inputs)

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