India's Squad Update: Harshit Rana Released Before Second Test Against England

India take on England (AP Photo)

Leeds: Indian fast bowler Harshit Rana has been released from the Test squad before 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, with an expected journey time of just over three hours to Birmingham.

The team is scheduled to rest for the next two days before resuming training. They will be focusing on leveling the series in the second Test and moving past the disappointment of Headingley.

Following India’s defeat in the first Test, Gautam Gambhir 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 scoring 835 runs and recording five individual centuries, has drawn attention due to its unique nature. This 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 (twice) all achieved centuries, but England managed 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, with strong support from Crawley and Root. The combined 1673 runs scored between 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.