Harshit Rana took four wickets in six balls during India’s tour game against Australia Prime Minister’s XI on Sunday (December 1).
After rain played spoilsport on the opening day of the two-day tour match, India opted to field first in a curtailed 50-overs-a-side contest. Captain Rohit Sharma, who missed the Perth Test due to the birth of his second child, was slotted at No.5 in India’s team sheet. Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul, the pair that put up a record opening stand at Perth, were named at the top, with Shubman Gill slotted back at No.3 after returning from an injury.
Australia were cruising at 124-2 after 22 overs when Rana pulled things back for the visitors with a cluster of wickets. He first castled Jack Clayton (40) off the fourth ball of the 23rd over to end a 109-run partnership with Sam Konstas. Rana disturbed the stumps yet again off the last ball, this time knocking over Oliver Davies for a duck.
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The India seamer came to bowl his next over and removed captain Jack Edwards for one immediately. Edwards was undone by a short ball as he holed out to Prasidh Krishna in the deep while attempting a pull shot. Sam Harper’s dismissal off the third delivery was an encore of Edward’s, bringing Rana four wickets in six deliveries, and reducing the hosts to 133-6 in no time.
For the PM's XI, promising 19-year-old youngster Konstas, who was in contention for an opener’s spot for the first Test, stood tall with a hundred off 90 balls.
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Brydon Carse picked up a ten-wicket haul in the first Test against New Zealand, becoming the first England pacer to achieve the feat in an overseas Test since 2008.
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Rana made his Test debut in Perth, claiming a three-wicket haul to help India skittle out Australia for a record low of 104 runs, giving them a 46-run lead. His maiden Test wicket was Travis Head and it came off a dream delivery. The ball angled in from around the wicket and held its line to beat the batter’s defence and brush the top of the off stump.
Given his exploits on debut, he is expected to be certain starter in India’s playing XI for the pink-ball Test in Adelaide starting December 6.
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