India’s uncapped right-arm pacer, Harshit Rana, has been called up for India’s third and final Test against New Zealand, to be played in Mumbai from November 1, ESPN reported.
New Zealand are currently leading the three-match series 2-0. The visitors won the first Test at Bengaluru by 8 wickets and won the second match by 113 runs which was played at Pune.
Harsit Rana has been with India’s white-ball teams ever since a breakout Indian Premier League (IPL) season in 2024 with champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), in which the pacer took 19 wickets at an average of 20.15 in 13 matches.
Harshit Rana is also among several fresh faces chosen for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, alongside young all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy, opener Abhimanyu Easwaran and wicketkeeper-batter Dhruv Jurel.
Recapping the Pune Test, New Zealand won the toss and opted to bat first. It was half-centuries from Devon Conway (76 in 141 balls, with 11 fours) and Rachin Ravindra (65 in 105 balls, with five fours and a six) that gave Kiwis a huge platform before Washington’s seven-fer triggered a collapse, taking NZ from 197/3 to 259 all out. Ashwin (3/64) also delivered a fine spell with the ball.
India was 16/1 at the end of day one’s play. On day two, Mitchell Santner triggered a massive batting collapse with his figures of 7/53, bundling out India for just 156 runs and giving NZ a lead of 103 runs. Ravindra Jadeja (38 in 45 balls, with three fours and two sixes), Shubman Gill (30 in 72 balls, with two fours and a six) and Yashasvi Jaiswal (30 in 60 balls, with four boundaries) played some decent knocks.
NZ is in their second innings and would like to take the lead as far as possible to set a formidable target for India and hand them a rare series loss at home after 12 years.