Fantasy Cricket

IND vs NZ: Why Has India Dropped Harshit Rana for Today’s Champions Trophy Match Against New Zealand?

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Indian fast bowler Harshit Rana is not part of the playing XI for India’s group-stage match against New Zealand in the 2025 Champions Trophy. The match is being played at the Dubai International Stadium on Sunday, March 2. The team management has decided to rest him for this game, keeping in mind the upcoming semi-final on March 4 at the same venue.

Why Was Harshit Rana Rested?

After Bumrah was ruled out of the Champions Trophy, Harshit Rana was officially added to the squad as one of three seamers, along with Arshdeep Singh and Mohammed Shami.

He had a great debut series against England, taking six wickets in three matches. In the ongoing Champions Trophy, he has continued his good form, picking up important wickets against Pakistan and Bangladesh.

At the toss, India’s captain Rohit Sharma confirmed that Rana was rested for this match.

“We were going to bat first anyway. We bowled first in the last two games. The approach is going to be similar. We have rested Harshit, and Varun comes in. It is about bowling in partnerships. If not the seamers, then the spinners will do the job and vice versa,” Rohit said.

Rana has been a valuable bowler for India in all three phases of the game. His ability to swing the new ball and use cutters on slow Dubai pitches has been crucial for the team.

Who Replaces Harshit Rana in the Playing XI?

Instead of playing another fast bowler alongside Mohammed Shami, India has added mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy to the team. This decision was made because all-rounder Hardik Pandya has been bowling well, giving the team flexibility to include an extra spinner.

With Chakravarthy’s inclusion, India now has four spinners in the lineup—Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, Ravindra Jadeja, and Varun Chakravarthy.

Varun Chakravarthy has played only one ODI before today’s game. He made his debut against England in Cuttack, finishing with figures of 1/55. His mystery spin could be a big advantage for India on Dubai’s slow pitches.

Story First Published at www.probatsman.com on 02 March 2025

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