Harshit Rana, a talented young cricketer, had always possessed the necessary skills to succeed on the field. However, he openly admitted to struggling with his confidence before the intervention of Gautam Gambhir. The former cricketer played a pivotal role in helping Rana overcome his fears and reach his full potential.
Now, at the age of 22, Rana has been selected to represent his country in the upcoming ODI series against Sri Lanka. This achievement has left him feeling elated and grateful for the opportunities that lie ahead.
In a public display of his happiness, Rana took to Instagram to share a photo of himself lifting his equally ecstatic father. While expressing his gratitude, Rana made it clear that Gautam Gambhir, affectionately known as Gauti Bhaiyya, held a special place in his heart for the guidance and support he had provided.
"Delhi mein dil toot sakta hai, par humne kabhi hausla nahi haaraa (Delhi can break your heart but I never lost hope)," Rana said after learning about his maiden India call-up.
"I believed in working hard but whenever I used to get hurt after being overlooked in age-group teams, I would sit in my room and start sobbing. My father Pradeep never ever gave up hope," he told PTI in an interview.
The bowler from Delhi's South Extension, who faced challenges at the junior level and was frequently overlooked, has finally achieved success. His outstanding performance in the IPL season, where he took 19 wickets for the Kolkata Knight Riders, has brought him into national recognition.
"If I have to name three people whom I am indebted to in this beautiful journey of mine, then it is my father for his efforts, my personal coach Amit Bhandari sir (former India and Delhi pacer) and above everyone else, Gauti bhaiyya (Gautam Gambhir)," Rana said.
Gautam Gambhir served as the mentor for the Kolkata Knight Riders this season before assuming the role of India's coach, succeeding Rahul Dravid, after the country's T20 World Cup victory in the West Indies. Nitish Rana expressed his gratitude towards his senior state-mate, acknowledging Gambhir as a constant source of support since their initial interaction.
"If my outlook towards the game has changed, a lot of it has got to do with Gauti bhaiyya's presence in the KKR dressing room and how he changed my mindset. At the elite level, you require skills but more than skills, you require the heart to handle the pressure.
"Gauti bhaiyya would always tell me 'Mere ko tere pe trust hai. Tu match jeetake aayega'. (I trust you, you can win the match)," Rana recalled one of his interactions with the firebrand former opener, who is known to speak his mind.
Also read| 'Why him always?': Ex-India cricketer questions Sanju Samson's snub from India ODI squad for Sri Lanka tour
