The batting performance flopped immensely for the Indian team during the second T20I of the five-match series against Australia at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) after the opening clash was washed out in Canberra due to persistent rain. The home side brought Matthew Short for the clash, while India remained unchanged in their playing eleven.

Josh Hazlewood broke the back of the Indian side with two wickets of Tilak Varma and captain Suryakumar Yadav in the seventh over of the innings, having already collected the wicket of opener Shubman Gill inside the powerplay. Nathan Ellis got the big wicket of Sanju Samson while Axar Patel was dismissed via run-out for seven runs.

See Also: [WATCH] Axar Patel dismissed on run-out after miscommunication with Abhishek Sharma in AUS vs IND 2nd T20I

In that situation, Harshit Rana walked at number seven in the line-up ahead of Shivam Dube. It raised a few eyebrows among the fans and pundits of the game. But the right-handed batter contributed decently in a stable partnership with Abhishek Sharma, who was in his beast mode from the other end.

Watch: Harshit Rana contributes with 35 runs in AUS vs IND 2nd T20I in Melbourne

On the fourth ball of the eleventh over against Matthew Kuhemann, Rana cut the short ball and found the vacant place between the backward point and short third man for a boundary. It sliced the ball hard, and the pace took it to the rope, while he used his left arm to loft Marcus Stoinis for another boundary. From the other end, Abhishek celebrated his sixth half-century in the T20Is.

Short ball? No problem! #HarshitRana clears it for a six! 🚀
Brings up a solid fifty stand fearless, fiery, and full Skyball mode on! 🔥#AUSvIND 👉 2nd T20I | LIVE NOW 👉 https://t.co/mq9j8bivd0 pic.twitter.com/sOGZ6m3u5y

— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) October 31, 2025

But one of the best shorts from Rana of the evening came on the fifth ball of the 15th over against Stonis. The KKR batter picked up the slower delivery and set a solid base to smash the ball over the mid-wicket region for a six to notch up the 50-run stand as the Blue Brigade marched over the 100-run mark.

He was dismissed for 35 runs in 33 balls with the help of three fours and one six. Abhishek remained longer in the middle for his 68 runs in 37 balls, thanks to eight boundaries and two sixes, before they got bundled out for 125 runs in 18.4 overs.