Harshit Rana picks 4 wickets in 6 deliveries in pink ball warm-up game

Harshit Rana, who impressed everyone on his Test debut at Perth last week, continued his good form by claiming four wickets in the space of six deliveries in a pink ball warm-up game against Prime Minister's XI on December 1 (Sunday).

After the opening day of the two-day warm-up encounter at Manuka Oval in Canberra was washed out, the match was reduced to 46 overs per side. Asked to bat, PM’s XI lost two early wickets, but Sam Konstas and Jack Clayton (40) put on 109 runs for the third wicket.

PM’s XI were operating at almost six runs per over, but that’s when Rana stepped up and broke the partnership by knocking over Clayton in the 23rd over of the innings. Just a delivery later, the right-arm seamer did the same to Oliver Davies (nought). Within few minutes, PM's XI lost two more wickets, falling into major trouble. 

After getting two wickets in the last three deliveries of the 23rd over, the 22-year-old picked up two more wickets in the first three deliveries of the 25th over. 

Skipper Jack Edwards was caught after scoring just one run, while wicketkeeper-batter Sam Harper was also dismissed for a two-ball duck. From 131/2, PM’s XI were reduced to 133/6, which soon became 138/7, thanks to Prasidh Krishna. 

Rana picked up four wickets in the first Test against Australia, dismissing Travis Head, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon and Alex Carey. It was Rana who picked up the last wicket in Perth, knocking over Carey with a superb slower delivery, as India registered a 295-run win and claimed a 1-0 lead in the five-match Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

The second Test, which will be played with a pink ball, will be played in Adelaide from December 6. 

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