IND vs SA: [Watch] Gautam Gambhir gives special treatment to Harshit Rana, singles him out for praise

Harshit Rana picked two wickets in India’s 7-wicket win over South Africa in third T20I.

Indian head coach Gautam Gambhir has come under fire from fans for allegedly giving preferential treatment to Delhi pacer Harshit Rana during the recent third T20I between India and South Africa. This match was played in Dharamshala on December 14, 2025.

In the third game of their five-match T20I series against South Africa, the Indian team overcame the Proteas to grab a 2-1 series lead. The victory was the result of a team effort after a humiliating defeat in the second T20I.

South Africa were asked to bat first by India captain Suryakumar Yadav, who won the toss in Dharamshala. Aiden Markram was the sole scorer for the Proteas, as the captain made 61 runs in 46 balls with six fours and two sixes. South Africa were bowled out for 117 runs in 20 overs.

Arshdeep Singh, Harshit Rana, Varun Chakaravarthy, and Kuldeep Yadav took two wickets each for India.

In response, Abhishek Sharma made 35 in 18 balls, Shubman Gill made 28, and Tilak Varma made 26* as India won the game by 7 wickets in 15.5 overs. India also went 2-1 up in the five-match T20I series.

Fans slam Gautam Gambhir for giving special treatment to Harshit Rana after Dharamshala T20I

Gambhir, the Indian head coach, praised the entire team following the match, but a video that has gone viral shows his fondness for a particular player.

He applauded all of his players from a distance, but as Harshit Rana passed in front of him, Gambhir stepped forward, shook hands, and gave Rana a pat on the back, showing that he preferred the Indian seamer.

Despite Harshit’s possession of the ball in the third Twenty20 International, some supporters are dissatisfied with Gambhir’s treatment of him in contrast to other players.

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Since the IPL 2024 season, when the young player demonstrated his bowling prowess as Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) won the IPL title, Gambhir has supported Harshit Rana. Following that, Harshit made his cross-format debut and Gambhir was appointed head coach of the Indian squad.

Harshit appeared raw and exposed under Australian weather, which initially made the relocation seem puzzling. But it appears that the change has now paid off.

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