Harshit Rana Likely to Miss Champions Trophy: Arshdeep Singh Steps Up

Harshit Rana’s excitement about playing for India might be cut short. The young fast bowler is likely to miss the first match of the Champions Trophy 2025 against Bangladesh this Thursday, and possibly the whole tournament.

Harshit got his ODI cap during a recent series with England, where he took 3 wickets on his first game. But now, it seems he won’t be in the starting team for the Champions Trophy. India has three important matches in the group stage against Bangladesh, Pakistan, and New Zealand—teams that could give them a tough fight.

In the last tournament, the T20 World Cup 2021, India lost early games to Pakistan and New Zealand, putting them in a tough spot. To avoid that again, they want their best team to play.

The other fast bowler, Arshdeep Singh, might not have many ODI games (only 9), but he has been impressive in T20 cricket, becoming the top wicket-taker for India. Reports say he’s currently seen as being better than Harshit.

Harshit became popular as an up-and-coming player, and India’s coach Gautam Gambhir believes in him. But even though Harshit did okay in his matches against England, he may have to wait for his turn because Arshdeep’s experience is noted and valued. With Jasprit Bumrah not playing, India needs to make the best choices to win their second ICC title in two years.