India's Harshit Rana Released from Test Squad Ahead of Second England Clash OR Indian Pacer Rana Released Before Second Test Against England in Birmingham

India take on England (AP Photo)

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

The young pacer, initially called up as a precautionary measure, was not seen boarding the bus to Birmingham with the rest of his teammates. The Indian squad departed from Leeds around 11:30 am local time and is anticipated to arrive in Birmingham in just over three hours.

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

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 loss at Headingley, despite accumulating 835 runs and achieving five individual centuries, has drawn significant attention due to its unusual nature. It marked the first instance in Test history where a team lost despite having five batsmen score centuries in the same 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 set the stage for the record chase, complemented by strong performances from Crawley and Root. The combined total of 1673 runs between the two teams represents the highest ever recorded in a Test match between India and England.

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