Harshit Rana opened up about his on-field banter with Mitchell Starc during the first Test of last year’s Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
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Harshit Rana Opens Up on Heated Perth Duel with Mitchell Starc and Support from Kohli, KL Rahul
During the first Test of the 2024–25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy at Perth, debutant pacer Harshit Rana found himself in the spotlight after an intense exchange with Australian speedster Mitchell Starc. After rattling Starc with a series of short-pitched deliveries, the veteran Australian—also Rana’s former IPL teammate at Kolkata Knight Riders—responded with a grin and a sharp reminder: “Harshit, I bowl faster than you. I’ve got a long memory.”
Mitchell Starc made his point by repeatedly reminding Rana of his pace over two fiery overs, but the young Indian pacer held his ground and eventually dismissed Mitchell Starc for 26. The duel quickly became a highlight of the Test, celebrated more for its intensity and mutual familiarity than any animosity.
Now, months later, Rana has finally shared how that moment really unfolded—including how senior teammates Virat Kohli and KL Rahul added to the drama from the slip cordon. Speaking on the BeerBiceps podcast, Rana recalled, “I bowled a bouncer after a long time. One hit his helmet. When he sledged, I just laughed it off. But inside, I was like, ‘Mar gaya. Ab ye maarega mujhe bouncer’ (I’m dead, now he’ll hit me with a bouncer).”
What made it even more memorable was the reaction from behind the stumps. “Virat bhai and KL bhai kept shouting, ‘Maarta reh, maarta reh, idhar hi maar isko!’ (Keep hitting him there!),” Rana said with a laugh. “I was like, ‘You guys can handle it, but I’m the one who’ll get hit!’” he added. Mitchell Starc did eventually hit Rana on the helmet in the second Test.
Though India won the opening Test by 295 runs, they failed to sustain their momentum, losing three of the next four matches and conceding the series. The result led to major changes in India’s Test setup, with Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli retiring from the format and Shubman Gill taking over as captain. Under Gill, India began a new era with a hard-fought 2-2 series draw in England.
Harshit Rana with India
Harshit Rana, who was initially brought in as a cover for India’s opening Test against England earlier this year, was released from the squad shortly after. While he didn’t feature in the red-ball series, Harshit continues to be a key figure in India’s white-ball setup.
The young pacer was part of the Indian team that clinched the Champions Trophy earlier this year, further cementing his reputation as a rising force in limited-overs cricket. With the Asia Cup approaching next month, Harshit is expected to return to international action as India fine-tunes its squad for the tournament.