Indian Pacer Released: Harshit Rana Exits Squad Ahead of Second England Test as India Eye Series Comeback

Indian Pacer Released from Squad Ahead of Second Test Against England

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 bowler, initially called up as a precautionary measure, was not seen boarding the bus to Birmingham with the rest of the Indian team. The squad departed from Leeds around 11:30 am local time and were expected to reach Birmingham in approximately three hours.

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

Following India's loss in the first Test, Gautam Gambhir commented on Rana's inclusion, stating that he wanted him as a backup due to a "niggle" within the group. He 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 recording five individual centuries, has drawn attention due to its unique circumstances. It was the first instance in Test history where a team lost despite achieving five centuries in a single match.

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

Ben Duckett's aggressive 149 played a crucial role in the record-breaking chase, with significant contributions from Crawley and Root. The combined 1673 runs scored by both teams represent the highest total in a Test match between India and England.

India will face England in the second Test at Edgbaston on July 2.