People Will Keep On Talking, Focus On Delivering For My Country, Says Harshit Rana After ODI Debut In Nagpur

(MENAFN- IANS) New Delhi, Feb 7 (IANS) After picking a three-wicket haul on debut, India pacer Harshit Rana said he is not bothered by outside noise around him, saying that his sole intention is to just play for the country at the international level.

Harshit, 23, shined on his ODI debut against England at the VCA Stadium in Nagpur, picking 3-33, as India eventually secured a four-wicket victory and grab a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.

This comes just after he made his T20I debut against the same opposition in Pune, after coming as a like-for-like concussion replacement for Shivam Dube, a move which left the cricketing world fuming.

"I believe that people will keep on talking. I just want to play, good or bad. I'm not bothered, I just want to deliver for my country. I don't pay attention to those talks. You get to know only when you come to the ground. Mentally, I'm always prepared whenever I come onto the ground. I know that I can play anytime. So, mentally, I always keep myself prepared," said Rana at the end of the match.

In just the third over of his first spell, Harshit was taken away for 26 runs by Phil Salt. But he bounced back by picking scalps of crucial England players like Ben Duckett, Harry Brook and Liam Livingstone.

"Cricket has ups and downs. I just focused on my length and got my rewards later. I didn't change anything in my second spell, just hit the right areas. This format is tough because it's long, and you need to play different roles at different times. But with proper practice, it becomes manageable," added Rana.

Both India and England will now travel to Bhubaneshwar to play the second match of the ODI series at the Barabati Stadium in Cuttack on Sunday.

MENAFN07022025000231011071ID1109179310