“Leave That Kid Alone” – Gambhir Blasts Kris Srikkanth for Bullying Harshit Rana

India head coach Gautam Gambhir didn’t hold back after former selector Kris Srikkanth mocked the inclusion of Harshit Rana in the Indian team.

Speaking after India’s Test series win over West Indies in Delhi, Gambhir said it was “shameful” that a young player was being criticised just to gain attention online.

Without naming Srikkanth directly, Gambhir called out those who target young cricketers for social media engagement. “If you’re criticising 23-year-olds to run your YouTube channel, that’s unfair,” he said.

“Harshit’s father is not an ex-chairman or ex-cricketer. He has earned his place on merit. Targeting individuals is not fair, target performances instead.”

Srikkanth had joked on his YouTube show that Harshit Rana was the “first name” in Gambhir’s team sheet, implying bias. The remark went viral and led to trolling of the 23-year-old pacer, something Gambhir said was completely out of line.

“He’s a 23-year-old boy, not 33,” Gambhir said. “Criticise me, I can take it. But imagine if your own kid played cricket and was abused like this. There should be some moral responsibility towards Indian cricket. You can’t tear down youngsters just to run your channel.”

Gambhir made it clear that his defence of Rana wasn’t limited to one player. “This is not just about Harshit. It’s about all youngsters who will represent India in the future,” he added.

Srikkanth had also questioned Nitish Kumar Reddy’s inclusion in the ODI squad, saying the all-rounder wasn’t ready for Australian conditions.

However, both Harshit and Reddy were part of India’s Border-Gavaskar Trophy squad earlier this year and delivered solid performances with the ball.