Harshit Rana, the promising fast bowler from the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) camp, was expected to make his debut for the Indian national team in the final T20I against Bangladesh.
However, due to an unfortunate viral infection, Rana missed the chance to wear the Indian jersey, much to the relief of his IPL franchise.
As the IPL 2025 mega auction approaches, KKR stands to benefit from this development, as they can retain Rana as an uncapped player, which could save them a significant portion of their auction purse.
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Why was Harshit Rana's debut postponed?
Harshit Rana was on the verge of making his India debut in the third T20I against Bangladesh at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium. On the eve of the match, assistant coach Ryan Ten Doeschate hinted that the pacer would finally get his opportunity.
Unfortunately, a viral infection sidelined Rana, preventing him from traveling with the team to Hyderabad. BCCI confirmed the news before the match, stating that Rana was unavailable for selection due to the illness.
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UPDATE: Mr. Harshit Rana was unavailable for selection for the third T20I due to a viral infection and did not travel with the team to the stadium.#TeamIndia | #INDvBAN | @IDFCFIRSTBank
— BCCI (@BCCI) October 12, 2024
How does KKR benefit from Rana missing his India debut?
The timing of Harshit Rana's viral infection, while unfortunate for his national team prospects, comes as good news for KKR.
Under IPL rules, franchises can retain uncapped players for a lower price, capped at INR 4 crore. As Rana has not made his international debut yet, KKR can retain him under this category.
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Had Rana debuted for India, KKR would have had to either release him into the auction pool or pay a higher retention fee to keep him.
Now, KKR can retain the talented pacer without significantly impacting their auction plans, allowing them to build a stronger squad for IPL 2025.
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