“Do what Dale Steyn does” - Former Australia cricketer’s advice for young Indian pacer after mediocre BGT 2024-25

Former Australia spinner Brad Hogg has commended India's Harshit Rana for his aggressive nature. He has suggested that the pacer bowl like South Africa legend Dale Steyn to become the best version of himself in Tests.

The 53-year-old added the speedster has a great yorker in his armory and felt that India should’ve persisted with him in the five-game Border-Gavaskar Trophy series. Hogg said on his YouTube channel:

"I love his [Harshit Rana] spirit, I love the way he really has that aggressive nature about him. I think the one aspect about his game that I really like him to add and that’s do what Dale Steyn does. It’s just bowl within himself, be able to move the ball in the air, get a little bit of swing. When he needs to up the ante and pace, have that in reserve to really break the game open. And that’s why Dale Steyn was sensational."

"He's got a great yorker, bouncer, probably should’ve yorker a little bit more in this Test series. And it’s disappointing he had one bad spell and they didn’t go with him again. It’s not on but that’s the nature of the [game]," he added.

The cricketer-turned-commentator reiterated that Rana should improve mentally and technically to grab opportunities with both hands in his future to help manage Jasprit Bumrah's workload.

"He has had an experience and now with the experience, he’s had to go away and learn what he can add to the game both mentally and with his technique to better himself, to make sure he takes that opportunity when it comes next because there are going to be plenty of opportunities for him moving forward with the injury to Bumrah."

Rana picked up four wickets in the series opener in Perth but returned wicketless in the second Test in Adelaide.

"He’s got to offer to Indian cricket moving forward" - Brad Hogg lauds India pacer

Brad Hogg also lauded Prasidh Krishna for his excellent bowling display in the fifth Test against Australia in Sydney. He credited him for bowling lengthy spell, saying in the same interaction:

"He [Prasidh Krishna] bowled well in the last match, he was sensational. Very, very, very good bowling. Having to bowl 10 overs straight in that second innings just showed the quality of Siraj and Krishna. More so in Krishna. Shows that he’s got to offer to Indian cricket moving forward."

Hogg continued:

"He’s got stamina, he wants it, he kept it nice and simple. I think he’s probably more upside than the other bowlers there. I think Rana and Krishna are gonna be the future of the Indian bowling attack moving forward.

"In a couple of years, they’ll be the mainstay there and hopefully, Bumrah is around still to do what he’s doing but he’s injury-prone at the moment. So, I think I’ll be reliant more heavily on Rana and Krishna," he added.

Krishna picked up six wickets in the fifth Test in Sydney. India, however, lost the game by six wickets to surrender the five-game series 1-3 to Australia.