India's Harshit Rana Released from Test Squad Ahead of Birmingham Showdown vs. 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 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 at approximately 11:30 am local time, traveling by bus to Birmingham, a journey expected to take just over three hours.

The team is scheduled to rest for the next two days before resuming training. They will be aiming to level the series in the second Test and move past the disappointment of the Headingley defeat.

Following India's loss in the first Test, Gautam Gambhir had 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 a strong batting performance that included 835 runs and five centuries, has been widely discussed. It marked the first instance in Test history where a team lost despite scoring five individual centuries in a single match.

Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, KL Rahul, and Rishabh Pant (twice) all achieved centuries. However, 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 significant contributions from Crawley and Root. The combined 1673 runs scored by both teams represent the highest total ever recorded in a Test match between India and England.

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