1st Time In Indian Cricket History: Harshit Rana Achieves Momentous Feat With Classic Display vs England in ODI

Harshit Rana had a bright debut for India in Nagpur on Thursday, enabling his team to bowl out the visiting England for a modest 248 runs in the first ODI of the series. England, who had opted to bat, came out with aggressive intent early into the match. However, India’s restricted bowling and sharp fielding worked with an unusually remarkable comeback. Rana (3/53) and Ravindra Jadeja (3/26) took six wickets between them in a solid bowling performance.

According to Star Sports, Rana became the first Indian bowler to claim at least three wickets on debut across all three formats. He had made his Test debut against Australia in November last year in Perth and his T20I debut in Pune last month.

Jos Buttler (52), Jacob Bethell (51), and Phil Salt (43) were the major contributors with the bat for England.

Rana had a tough start to his ODI debut. Phil Salt was very aggressive against him and hit 26 runs, including three sixes and two fours, in the first over. Rohit Sharma brought in spin quickly and brought in Axar Patel (1/38) to slow down the run rate.

England continued their charge with Ben Duckett (32) playing some fine strokes, including a stylish reverse sweep. Just when they seemed set for an aggressive push, India mounted a stunning comeback. Shreyas Iyer’s brilliant fielding led to a run-out of Salt following a mix-up between the openers, shifting the momentum in India’s favor.

However, despite conceding 26 in his first over, Rana regained his footing by garnering two big wickets in his fourth over when he and debutant Yashasvi Jaiswal combined to dismiss Duckett, the former running all along in 21 meters as he took a breathtaking catch at midwicket. Then he struck again: it was another edge, this time from Harry Brook, which went behind Rahul as three wickets folded already for England.

Ravindra Jadeja piled further pressure on England as he sent Joe Root leg-before-wicket, and the responsibility to stabilize the innings fell on Buttler and the tailenders.

Buttler was steady and could only muster a patient fifty with four boundaries before being caught top-edging to Hardik Pandya at short fine leg off Axar Patel’s delivery.

Despite the wickets falling at regular intervals, 21-year-old Bethell battled on to score a gritty fifty, with one six and three fours. However, Jadeja eventually trapped him LBW to wrap up England’s innings.