India, Jan. 13 -- India head coach Gautam Gambhir has an affinity for all-rounders and fast bowler Harshit Rana has confirmed that the team management has asked him to work on improving his batting skills.

Rana played a vital role in India's four-wicket victory in the opening ODI against New Zealand here on Sunday, taking a couple of wickets at the top to derail the Kiwis' progress and chipped in with a vital 29 off 23 late in the chase. Rana batted ahead of an injured Washington Sundar, who suffered from a side strain, putting his availability in doubt for the second ODI on Wednesday.

"The team management wants to groom me as an all-rounder and it is my task to keep working on it," Rana told reporters here. "I am working on it in the n...