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

Wednesday - 09/07/2025 05:01

India's Harshit Rana has been released from the Test squad before the second match against England. This decision follows after India's loss at Headingley, despite their impressive 835 runs and five centuries. England's remarkable chase of 371, led by Ben Duckett's 149, secured a five-wicket victory. India aims to level the series in the upcoming Edgbaston Test on July 2.

Indian Pacer Released Ahead of Second Test Against England

India take on England (AP Photo)

Leeds: India's fast bowler Harshit Rana has been released from the Test squad before the second match of the five-Test series against England.

The young speedster, initially called up as a precautionary measure, was not seen boarding the bus to Birmingham with the rest of the Indian team. The 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 aiming to level the series in the second Test and recover from the disappointment of the Headingley defeat.

According to Gautam Gambhir, the inclusion of Rana in the squad was due to a "niggle" within the group. Gambhir mentioned that he would consult with the chairman of selectors regarding Rana's situation.

He stated, "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,”

Gambhir also 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 particularly noteworthy, despite the team amassing 835 runs and featuring five individual centuries. It marked the first instance in Test history where a team lost despite achieving five centuries in a single match.

India Outplayed at Headingley | England Go 1-0 Up in the Series | IND vs ENG 1st Test

Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, KL Rahul, and Rishabh Pant (twice) all achieved centuries, but England successfully chased down a target of 371, securing a five-wicket victory on the final day.

Ben Duckett's aggressive 149 provided the foundation for the record chase, complemented by significant contributions from Crawley and Root. The combined total of 1673 runs between the two teams established a new record for the highest aggregate in a Test match between India and England.

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