Harshit Rana Released from Indian Cricket Team Ahead of Second Test

Harshit Rana's Departure from the Indian Squad

Harshit Rana, who was a last-minute inclusion in the Indian cricket team, has been released following the team's departure from Headingley. Reports indicate that he was not seen boarding the bus with his teammates. The squad traveled for three hours before arriving in Birhimhum, where they are expected to take a short break.

"Harshit Rana has been released from the squad. He hasn’t traveled with the Indian squad to Birmingham for the second Test starting July 4."

Head coach Gautam Gambhir stated that he is unaware of the specific reasons for Rana's exclusion. However, he mentioned that the board had concerns regarding potential injuries among the bowlers, which led to Rana's initial retention. It appears that those concerns have since been resolved.

Background on Harshit Rana's Selection

Although Harshit Rana was a notable name during the selection process, he was not part of the original 18-man squad for the series against England. The Kolkata Knight Riders pacer was chosen to play in two unofficial Tests against the England Lions, where he took one wicket but conceded 99 runs over 27 overs. Other bowlers, such as Anshul Khamboj and Mukhesh Kumar, performed better yet were overlooked, leading to Rana's selection.

Rana has experienced a rapid rise in his career, debuting in all three formats shortly after Gautam Gambhir assumed the coaching role, which has sparked discussions about favoritism.

He made his Test debut last year against Australia, where he had a decent performance, notably dismissing Travis Head with an impressive off-cutter in Perth.

During the first Test at Headingley, which India lost by five wickets, Rana was seen interacting with teammates Arshdeep Singh and Akash Deep. The upcoming second Test is scheduled to take place in Birmingham, starting on June 2.