BCCI Vice-President of the Board of Control for Cricket in India, Rajeev Shukla, has come to the defence of young bowler Harshit Rana as criticism mounts over his inclusion in India's white-ball team for the impending Australia tour. The 15-member team, which was announced by chief selector Ajit Agarkar, raised eyebrows among fans and former cricketers who questioned if Rana's addition was influenced by head coach Gautam Gambhir's favoritism. Gambhir firmly denied these allegations, saying that the process of selection was merit-based. To ANI, Shukla said: "Gautam Gambhir is right. If someone has any complaints about the players, then it should be done responsibly. This will bring the players' morale down. It is the job of the team to select players. So, before you say anything about the players, you should think about how much responsibility you should take." Also Read | ‘Don’t say anything to run your YouTube channel’ - Gambhir Defends Harshit Rana Harshit Rana's Performance Justifies Selection Harshit Rana, who made his ODIs debut against England recently, has already proven his mettle at the international level. He bagged four wickets in two ODIs and has impressed in his last match against Pakistan in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 in Dubai. Even former India selector Krishnamachari Srikkanth came out in his favor, stating Rana is "one permanent member in the team" and should be included in India's teams regularly. Few fans have compared Harshit's choice to that of senior pacer Mohammed Shami, India's joint-highest wicket-taker in the Champions Trophy 2025, wondering why the younger bowler was given preference. Shukla stressed that criticism should be good and constructive since unjustified comments would impact a player's performance and confidence. India will start its white-ball tour of Australia on October 19, and Harshit Rana will be one of the players to look out for. How he performs in the forthcoming ODIs and T20Is can decide his long-term future in India's white-ball team. Shukla wrapped up saying: "Criticism should be given responsibly. Our young players are the future of Indian cricket, and the management will continue to support them in every way."