"You are such a good boy" - Harshit Rana reveals advice from Indian star amid 'flying kiss' controversy in IPL 2024

Team India fast bowler Harshit Rana recently shared words of wisdom from senior wicketkeeper-batter KL Rahul after his flying kiss controversy in IPL 2024. The lanky pacer revealed that Rahul asked him to focus on his bowling more than anything else.

In his interview with Ranveer Allahabadia’s YouTube channel, Rana further heaped his praise on India’s new Test captain Shubman Gill, crediting him for his excellent game awareness and leadership skills.

Harshit Rana said:

“50:15 - On KL Rahul’s advice – I played IPL 2024, things happened, that flying kiss one. He told me one thing, ‘You are such a good boy. If you want to do these things, you can do and no one is stopping you, but don’t let it affect your bowling.’ He asked me not to focus on those things but on bowling.”

“105: Shubman Gill thinks a lot. He has knowledge about things. He has the self-belief and knows what to do next (game awareness). You should know how to handle things. He has the skills, that’s why he has become captain. He can take correct decisions at different instances,” he added.

Gill recently led India to a 2-2 draw in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy in England.

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“When someone says that at the start, then your confidence soars” – Harshit Rana lauds Shreyas Iyer for his leadership skills

Harshit Rana further credited Shreyas Iyer for his growth during his breakthrough IPL season with the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in 2024. Citing an example of a nail-biting win against the SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) (Match 3 of IPL 2024), the 23-year-old thanked Iyer for trusting his players by giving them the freedom to express themselves. He said in the same interaction:

“107 – (On Shreyas Iyer) I was working with him in the last IPL. In the beginning, he gave me the confidence that you are my main bowler and you’ve to do all things. So, when someone says that at the start, your confidence soars.

Rana continued:

"In the game against SRH, I was not supposed to bowl the last over. 13 runs were required, and he gave me the bowl. He gave me the ball and told me to become a hero, or even if we don’t win, it doesn’t matter to me. I was hit for a six on the first ball. He came to me and asked me to bowl with heart and do what I felt right. It turned out to be a positive.”

“109: (On Iyer’s effect at PBKS) – He gives a free hand to his players. He asks them to express themselves, and when they fail to execute their plans, he ensures that he will step up and share the tactics. He gives the players self-belief from the start. In such a scenario, the players improve, performance starts to get better by default,” he added.

Notably, Shreyas Iyer won the IPL 2024 trophy with the Knight Riders. He then led the Punjab Kings (PBKS) to the IPL 2025 final.