India's Harshit Rana Released from Test Squad Ahead of Crucial Second England Clash

India take on England (AP Photo)

The young speedster, initially called up as a precautionary measure, was not seen boarding the bus to Birmingham with his teammates.

The Indian squad departed from Leeds around 11:30 am local time, with an estimated travel time of just over three hours to Birmingham.

The team is scheduled to rest for the next two days before resuming training. They aim to level the series in the second Test and overcome 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."

“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 accumulating 835 runs and featuring five individual centuries, was particularly noteworthy.

It marked a historic first in Test cricket, with a team losing despite achieving five centuries in the same match.

Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, KL Rahul, and Rishabh Pant (with two centuries) all performed well with the bat, 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 chase, supported by significant contributions from Crawley and Root. The combined total of 1673 runs between both teams is the highest ever recorded in a Test match between India and England.

India will face England in the second Test at Edgbaston on July 2.