Indian pacer Harshit Rana was released from the Indian squad after their five-wicket defeat to England at Headingley, as per a report. India's next Test match will be played at Edgbaston on July 2 and there was a chance for Harshit to feature in the XI but that won't happen now.
Harshit was roped in the squad as a precautionary and was not seen boarding the team bus to Birmingham with rest of his teammates.
"Harshit Rana has been released from the squad. He hasn't travelled with the Indian squad to Birmingham for the second Test starting July 4," a BCCI source told PTI on conditions of anonymity.
The 23-year-old Rana, a protege of head coach Gautam Gambhir, is a bustling hit-the-deck bowler who hit the headlines with a lovely off-cutter which breached Travis Head's defence in Perth.
“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 said in the post-match press conference.
“But at the moment, everything looks fine, so if everyone is fine, he would have to fly back," Gambhir added.
Speaking of the 2nd Test, the Indian team will rest for the next two days before resuming training for the Edgbaston Test, to go level in the five-match series after losing by five-wickets at Headingley.
Despite the likes of Yashasvi Jaiswal, skipper Shubman Gill, KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant scoring centuries in the match, England pulled off a superb chase of 371, winning by five wickets on Day 5.
Ben Duckett's 149 set the hosts on their way, with some commendable cameos from Zak Crawley and Joe Root.
