Categories: Sports

Gautam Gambhir Blasts Critics For Targeting Young Player Harshit Rana, ‘Shameful To Target A Kid’

Gautam Gambhir has ardently defended Harshit Rana, who is 23, after people critiqued the selection of Rana for India's ODI squad against Australia, calling the criticism ‘shameful’ and ‘baseless.’ He admonished critics to focus on performance rather than personal hatred, noting that Rana hasn't been selected based on anything other than his performance.

Published by Namrata Boruah
Last updated: October 14, 2025 17:53:53 IST

Gautam Gambhir has come out in strong defence of 23 year old pacer Harshit Rana who has been criticised by the selection of the player, who is being selected to participate in the upcoming Australia ODIs. Gambhir reacted to comments made by the former India cricketer Kris Srikkanth who had suggested that Rana was brought into the squad because he had previously been with Gambhir and not because of merit.

Gautam Gambhir On Harshit Rana Criticism

Talking following the Test series sweep on the West Indies, Gambhir termed the act of taking a young player as a target as shameful, and denied rumours that suggest Rana is a beneficiary of favoritism. He claimed that performance may and must be challenged, but criticising the character of a person, particularly a young cricketer without influential support, is a step too far. Gambhir further pointed out the impact of social media in terms of intensifying the criticism and implications on the mental state of a player and called upon the people working in the cricketing circles to be responsible. He did not mind taking criticism against him but made a difference when it concerns a 23 year old who is attempting to build his career.

India vs Australia ODIs Squad Includes Harshit Rana

Rana is the cricketer of Delhi who has already played various formats with the Indian team and has been recently included in the squads of the ODI and T20I tour to Australia. The defence of Gambhir therefore makes the inclusion of Rana be founded on a cricketing talent, and not relationships, and is an attempt to counteract what he views as a harmful narrative. This episode highlights the strains in Indian cricket between pundits, the retired players, and management regarding the way upcoming talent is packaged to the outside world. This position by Gambhir indicates his readiness to protect young players against unnecessary criticism, and to instill the concept of meritocracy as his leadership principle in the coach.

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