Harshit Rana impressed in the third ODI against Australia, taking 4 wickets for 39 runs. The KKR pacer showed his all-round ability, including a key cameo in the second ODI, but critics are still questioning his spot. Reports have revealed that head coach Gautam Gambhir has issued him a stern warning to keep performing.

“Perform, or I’ll bench you,” Gambhir told the pacer.

Amidst questions surrounding Harshit’s selection in the ODI team, his childhood coach, Shravan Kumar, opened up on a phone call between them. Harshit’s inclusion in the playing XI over Arshdeep Singh for the Sydney match left many confused.

In an interview with the Times of India, Shravan shared: “He called me and said he wanted to silence the critics with his performance. I told him, ‘Believe in yourself.’ Some people claim he’s close to Gambhir, but Gambhir has a knack for spotting talent and backing them. He’s supported many players, and they’ve excelled. In fact, he gave Harshit a stern talking-to, telling him, ‘Perform, or I’ll make you sit out.’ Gambhir makes his expectations clear to everyone.”

Despite being just 23, Harshit Rana has to endure intense criticism and claims of nepotism linked to his association with Gambhir. “Let’s give him some time,” said his childhood coach. Shravan also slammed the remarks made by Krishnamachari Srikkanth about the young bowler.

“First, Krishnamachari Srikkanth criticised the young player. After retiring, many cricketers have turned to YouTube to make money, but that doesn’t mean they should target youngsters. They have the right to guide and even scold, but they shouldn’t make negative comments just for the sake of getting views on their YouTube channels,” Shravan said.