‘Criticism motivates me’ - Ajinkya Rahane reveals Harshit Rana’s unshakeable mindset

Ajinkya Rahane has revealed that pacer Harshit Rana remains unfazed by criticism from naysayers. Rahane admitted that he initially felt the 24-year-old was under pressure, but it turned out to be quite

the opposite. Rana told Rahane that criticism actually fuels his motivation and pushes him to perform better.

Rana has faced more criticism and abuse than most cricketers at a similar stage of their careers. Since making his India debut in November 2024, he has received debut caps across all formats. Still raw and developing, Rana has yet to take the cricketing world by storm, but his resilience and mindset continue to stand out.

“See, we actually spoke about social media when he was playing in the IPL last year. In certain matches, he didn’t do well, and I saw, basically, a little nervous, a little sad. It was bothering him. He told me, ‘When I see all the comments, when I see what they are writing about me, they don’t know how hard I have worked in my bowling. So that actually motivates me to do well for the team.’ I said, ‘Are you okay with all that?’ He said, ‘I am okay to read all the comments’,” Rahane said on Cricbuzz.

Rahane further explained how Rana copes with criticism by entering a focused ‘zone’, where he channels all his attention solely toward cricket. Even during practice sessions, Rana prefers to shut out external noise and distractions. Several of his Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) teammates were initially unsure about what the pacer was doing during practice, but they eventually understood that this intense focus is simply part of his preparation process.

“I have seen him using AirPods during practice sessions when he was bowling, just to cut out the noise. That is his method to cut out his noise. We all thought what he was doing. Why is he wearing those AirPods? Later, we got to know that he just wanted to cut the noise. When he is bowling, he just wants to get in the zone, bowl with the same intensity and mindset,” said Rahane.

In the first ODI against New Zealand, Rana impressed with both bat and ball. With the ball, he returned figures of 2/65, dismissing Henry Nicholls and Devon Conway. With the bat, he contributed a brisk 29 off 23 balls, smashing two fours and a six.