Harshit Rana Picked Amidst ‘Yes-Man’ Claims To Gambhir: ‘Nobody Knows Why…’ | Cricket News

Harshit Rana was part of India’s 15 in the Asia Cup. (PTI Photo)

Former India cricketer Krishnamachari Srikkanth has said that Harshit Rana has been picked for the upcoming Australia tour despite not having done well across formats, adding that he gets selected because he is a ‘yes man’ to India head coach Gautam Gambhir, slamming the team management.

With Shubman Gill at the helm, several fringe cricketers are auditioning for bigger roles ahead of the 2027 World Cup, signalling long-term planning. However, Srikkanth’s commentary on his Cheeky Cheeka YouTube channel has dominated the conversation.

Srikkanth’s main accusation, that ‘the best way to be selected is to be a constant yes-man to Gambhir’, referencing Rana, hit hard. He argued that with Rana and Nitish Kumar Reddy in the mix, India’s World Cup 2027 plans are compromised.

Srikkanth’s comments have reignited debate over merit versus favouritism. This isn’t the first time that Gambhir has been criticised for picking Rana across formats.

“There is only one permanent member, Harshit Rana. Nobody knows why he is there in the team. You don’t pick some irrespective of whether they do well and take others even if they don’t,” Srikkanth said.

“Best is to be like Harshit Rana and be a constant yes-man to Gambhir to be selected. You should start building towards the 2027 World Cup. But I feel they haven’t. If you pick Harshit Rana and Nitish Kumar Reddy among the probabilities, then you can wave goodbye to the trophy,” Srikkanth said.

The Australia tour serves as a testing ground for India’s 2027 World Cup preparations as well. Gill’s promotion to ODI skipper signals a forward-looking strategy, but Srikkanth questioned the selections of Rana and Reddy.

The former India cricketer has been vocal for months, criticising Rana’s Indian Premier League antics and stressing that attitude and recent performances should drive selection.

Srikkanth applied the same logic to Reddy, acknowledging his promise but questioning whether India is locking him into a role that will hold up against elite teams in 2027.