Harshit Rana Released: Indian Pacer Exits Squad Before Second England Test in Birmingham

India take on England (AP Photo)

Leeds: Indian fast bowler Harshit Rana has been released from the Test squad before the second match of the five-Test series against England.

The young bowler, initially called up as a precautionary measure, was not seen boarding the team bus to Birmingham with his teammates. The Indian squad departed from Leeds around 11:30 am local time, with an expected travel time of just over three hours to Birmingham.

The team is scheduled to rest for the next two days before resuming training in preparation for the second Test match. Their goal is to level the series and overcome the disappointment of their defeat at Headingley.

Following India’s loss in the first Test, Gautam Gambhir commented on Rana's inclusion: "I haven't spoken to the chairman selector; I will speak to the chairman of selectors because there was a bit of a niggle in the group. That is why we wanted him as a backup."

“But at the moment, everything looks fine, so if everyone is fine, he would have to fly back.”

India’s defeat at Headingley, despite accumulating 835 runs and featuring five individual centuries, has been a major talking point due to its unusual nature. It marked the first instance in Test cricket history where a team lost despite achieving five centuries in a single match.

Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, KL Rahul, and Rishabh Pant (twice) all scored centuries. However, England successfully chased down a target of 371, securing a five-wicket victory on the final day.

Ben Duckett’s aggressive 149 set the stage for the record-breaking chase, complemented by significant contributions from Crawley and Root. The total of 1673 runs scored by both teams represents the highest aggregate in a Test match between India and England.

India is set to face England in the second Test at Edgbaston on July 2.