Ravichandran Ashwin expressed his opinion on Harshit Rana’s selection for the ODI series against Australia. Despite having few opportunities, Harshit has made his way into the team for all formats, causing confusion among fans, who suggest his KKR link with Gambhir might have influenced the decision.

Ashwin, in a YouTube video, admitted that he’s unclear about the logic behind Harshit Rana’s selection. The BCCI selection committee chairman, Ajit Agarkar, didn’t share any details on the reasoning. However, Ashwin suspects Rana was picked for his skills with the bat.

“I’m not sure why they are selecting him. I would love to be part of the selection meeting to understand the reasoning behind his inclusion. From my perspective, the only reason I can see is that in Australia, we need a fast bowler who can bat. Someone must believe in his batting ability, which is why he’s being considered for the No. 8 spot. But personally, I’m not convinced about his batting. A couple of years ago, he bowled a brilliant fast delivery in the IPL final that caught the edge (Nitish Kumar Reddy’s dismissal). He has been playing for a while now, based on just that one delivery,” Ashwin said.

Ashwin may not entirely agree with Harshit’s selection, but he recognizes the potential and skill the KKR pacer possesses.

“But he certainly has the ability with the ball. I won’t accept it if anyone says he lacks the skill. Selections like these sometimes happen because you observe something close and develop confidence in a player. Today, everyone praises Ravindra Jadeja as a great player, but there was a time when people questioned why he was being picked. Even though I’ve taken 540 wickets, there were still people questioning my selection,” he added.

Expressing his honest opinion on Harshit’s selection, Ashwin called the decision “questionable.”

“Many people make judgments based on assumptions, but it’s only when we face the real challenge on the field that we truly know. Similarly, when you face his pace, you’ll realise he has something special. Whether he deserves selection or not is another matter, but he definitely has an X-factor. However, if you ask me whether he deserves selection, that’s still highly questionable,” he concluded.