India's Squad Update: Harshit Rana Released Ahead of 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 prior to the second match of the ongoing five-Test series against England.

The young pacer, initially called up as a precautionary measure, was not seen with the rest of the team as they boarded the bus to Birmingham. The Indian squad departed from Leeds at approximately 11:30 am local time and were expected to arrive in Birmingham in slightly over three hours.

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 overcoming the disappointment of the Headingley defeat.

"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," Gautam Gambhir stated regarding Rana after India’s defeat in the first Test.

“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, has been a major talking point. The team scored a total of 835 runs and recorded five individual centuries in the match.

It marked a historic first in Test cricket, as it was the first time a team lost despite achieving five centuries in a single match.

Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, KL Rahul, and Rishabh Pant (with two centuries) all performed well with the bat. However, England successfully chased down a target of 371, securing a five-wicket victory on the final day.

Ben Duckett's aggressive innings of 149 set the stage for the record-breaking chase. He received solid support from Crawley and Root. The combined total of 1673 runs scored between both teams represents 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.