Harshit takes the first step in fast bowlers' race for 2027 World Cup

India's best XI in any format starts with Jasprit Bumrah. He will lead the bowling attack at the 2027 World Cup, guaranteeing 10 overs of magic.

Mohammed Siraj is second in charge. He can be hit or miss in white-ball cricket. He missed the Champions Trophy but was such a hit in an Asia Cup final a couple of years ago that the opposition scorecard looked like this.

Hardik Pandya, who is returning to competitive cricket for the first time since his injury in September, will be crucial to balance the team in overseas conditions. That leaves one specialist fast-bowling spot open for Harshit Rana (28 List A matches), Arshdeep Singh (40) and Prasidh Krishna (75). All of them have a lot to learn but they're still familiar with high-pressure white-ball situations thanks to the IPL.

Ranchi was a high(ish)-pressure situation in the appropriate format and Rana rose to it. He picked up two wickets in an over, which eventually left South Africa 11 for 3 chasing 350. Ryan Rickelton was bowled on a defensive shot and Quinton de Kock was caught behind on the drive.

"I think a lot of credit to Harshit also," India batting coach Sitanshu Kotak said at the post-match press conference, "For taking the early wickets because I think otherwise, for them, in so much dew, they would've found it very easy to score runs."

Beyond those results was the process. Rana didn't waste the brief window, under lights, when a still new, still dry ball was willing to zip around. That alone was good work. The wickets (three) and the win will perhaps reinforce it.

"He was moving the ball well," Kotak said. "He was hitting the right area early in the innings because the Kookaburra only swings for the first four or five overs and I think he made the most of it."

Rana still gave away 65 runs in 10 overs though. This happens because he bowls to unsettle. Targeting the stumps. Then the helmet. Then taking pace off. Then going wide. Then going yorker. Then going wide yorker. Or wide and slower ball. It's basically fast bowling on shuffle. Bangers mixed in with duds.

Rana commits to this role, at the expense of his economy rate, and India are happy to pay the price because they have Bumrah and Kuldeep Yadav as banker bowlers capable of creating and sustaining pressure from the other end. They must also value how Rana doesn't flinch when things go wrong. On Sunday, he took a no-look six on the chin from Dewald Brevis in one over. Dismissed him in the next. He gritted his teeth when Corbin Bosch saw through his slower ball and sent it into the stands. Then killed the momentum with a couple of good yorkers. Rana still needs a bit of refining but there's something there.

Conditions for fast bowling in India vary from those expected at the World Cup in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia. Marco Jansen touched upon it after the first ODI when he said he had to keep reminding himself to get lower in his batting stance.

Two years ago when India were in Centurion, they tried to lean into a pitch with pace and bounce by picking Prasidh in their Test team. His release from a high-arm action and ability to hit the deck hard were seen as an asset after South Africa had used a similar strategy to beat them on the previous tour. It didn't quite pan out but not because it was poor logic.

Arshdeep's skills are more traditional and his left-arm angle can be a useful point of difference. There's his composure at the death as well. He bowled a wicket-maiden in the 47th over when South Africa had brought the equation down to 38 off 24.

The spotlight in that game and in any ODI that India play nowadays tends to be elsewhere, but these three are very different fast bowlers and the way they're getting along makes for interesting viewing too.