India's Harshit Rana Released from Squad Ahead of Second England Test 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 ongoing five-Test series against England.

The young bowler, initially called up as a precautionary measure, was not seen with his teammates as they boarded the bus to Birmingham. The Indian squad departed from Leeds around 11:30 am local time and arrived in Birmingham approximately three hours later.

The team will now rest for two days before resuming training. Their focus is on leveling the series in the second Test and overcoming the disappointment of the Headingley defeat.

Following India's loss in the first Test, Gautam Gambhir commented on Rana's inclusion: “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 was notable considering their strong batting performance. The team scored a total of 835 runs and recorded five individual centuries.

Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, KL Rahul, and Rishabh Pant (twice) each scored centuries, but 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 match saw a combined total of 1673 runs, marking 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.