India's Harshit Rana Released from Test Squad Ahead of Second England Clash in Birmingham

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 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 team.

The Indian squad departed from Leeds around 11:30 am local time, embarking on a bus journey to Birmingham expected to last just over three hours.

The team is scheduled to rest for the following two days before resuming training. Their focus will be on the second Test, where they aim to level the series and recover from the setback at Headingley.

Following India’s defeat in the first Test, Gautam Gambhir commented on Rana, 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.”

“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 garnered attention due to its unique nature. It marked 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 (with two centuries) all celebrated milestones, but England successfully chased down a target of 371, securing a five-wicket victory on the final day.

Ben Duckett’s aggressive 149 laid 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 set to face England in the second Test at Edgbaston on July 2.