Former Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) player has strongly defended Gautam Gambhir and Harshit Ranarejecting all allegations of favouritism in the Indian team selection. Ever since Gambhir took charge as India’s head coach in July 2024, sections of fans have alleged that Rana’s inclusion in the national team was influenced by his past association with the KKR setup. However, ex-KKR star has rubbished these claims, asserting that Rana’s selection is purely the result of his form and consistency in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 season.

Former KKR star defends Gambhir amid trolling over Harshit Rana backing

Manvinder Bislawho was a key member of Gambhir’s KKR side that won the 2012 IPL titleemphasized that Gambhir has always been a performance-oriented leader. Speaking on the Indian Cricket Canteen YouTube channel, Bisla said that critics accusing Gambhir of favouritism are mainly those who have never been supporters of KKR or Gambhir’s leadership style.

“The ones opposing Harshit Rana must be non-KKR fans. I am saying this honestly,” Bisla remarked, defending both Gambhir and Rana from baseless criticism.

Bisla described the favoritism talk as unfair and motivated, saying that Harshit Rana earned his India cap through sheer hard work and consistent performances for KKR. He reminded fans that Rana delivered one of the best IPL seasons by a young Indian pacer in 2024, spearheading KKR’s bowling attack and playing a crucial role in their title-winning campaign.

“There is no uncle or uncle relationship.,” he added, dismissing suggestions of nepotism in Gambhir’s selections.

The wicketkeeper-batter backed his statement with statistics, noting how Rana has continued to impress on the international stage. In India’s home ODI series against Australia, Rana emerged as the highest wicket-taker with six wickets in three matches. He also made valuable lower-order contributions with the bat during the T20I series, showing remarkable composure under pressure. Overall, the pacer has claimed 16 wickets in 8 ODI innings with an economy rate of 5.82, figures that underline his growing stature in the national setup.

Ex-KKR player everyone to stop rumours and appreciate talent

Bisla further stressed that Gautam Gambhir has always maintained a merit-based approach, whether as KKR captain or now as Team India’s head coach. He noted that Gambhir rewarded players who performed consistently and showed discipline, not those with personal connections. According to Bisla, anyone who has played under Gambhir knows his commitment to professionalism and competitive ethos.

Concluding his remarks, Bisla appealed to fans and commentators to focus on Rana’s achievements rather than spreading unfounded allegations. He said that India’s young pacer has proven himself both domestically and internationally, and his selection is based on merit. As Rana prepares for the upcoming ODI series against South Africafollowed by the home Test series starting November 14, Bisla hopes cricket followers will recognize the bowler’s potential instead of questioning his credentials.

“India beat Australia in Sydney. All the influencers on social media, cricketers, non-cricketers, everyone spoke about RoKo. Did anyone speak about Harshit? If he had not set it up, what would have happened? Maybe RoKo would have still won us the match. But it was someone else who set up the match. If someone made a video on Harshit, would he have gotten those many views?” Bisla concluded.