Harshit Rana: Indian Pacer Released from Squad Ahead of Second England Test in Birmingham

Indian Pacer Released from Squad Ahead of Second Test Against England

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 bus to Birmingham with his teammates. The Indian squad departed from Leeds around 11:30 am local time and is expected to arrive in Birmingham in approximately three hours.

The team will rest for two days before resuming training, preparing for the second Test where they aim to level the series and recover from the Headingley defeat.

Gautam Gambhir previously commented on Rana's inclusion after India's first Test loss, saying, "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."

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

India's defeat at Headingley, despite scoring 835 runs and five centuries, has drawn attention due to its unique circumstances. It marked the first instance in Test history where a team lost despite scoring five individual centuries in the match.

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

Ben Duckett’s aggressive 149 set the foundation for the record chase, complemented by solid performances from Crawley and Root. The combined 1673 runs scored by both teams represent the highest ever in a Test match between India and England.

India is scheduled to play England in the second Test at Edgbaston on July 2.