India's Harshit Rana Released from Squad Ahead of Second Test Against England

India take on England (AP Photo)

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

The young pacer, 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 at approximately 11:30 am local time, with an expected journey time of just over three hours to Birmingham.

The team is scheduled to rest for two days before resuming training in preparation for the second Test. Their aim is to level the series and recover from the disappointment of the Headingley defeat.

Following India’s loss in the first Test, Gautam Gambhir commented on Rana's inclusion, stating, "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 accumulating 835 runs and featuring five individual centuries, has been widely discussed due to its unprecedented nature. It marked the first instance in Test history where a team lost despite scoring five centuries in a single match.

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

Ben Duckett’s aggressive 149 laid the foundation for the record-breaking chase, with significant contributions from Crawley and Root. The combined total of 1673 runs between the two teams represents the highest ever in a Test match between India and England.

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