Cricket

Young Indian player dropped from the squad for 2nd Test vs England

Young Indian pacer Harshit Rana has been released from the Test squad ahead of the second Test against England. He was initially called up as injury cover, but with the main pacer now fit, his services are no longer required.

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Young Indian player dropped from the squad for 2nd Test vs England

In an interesting turn of events, the young Indian pacer Harshit Rana, who was added as a cover in the Indian squad for the Leeds Test against England, has now been released by the Indian think tank team ahead of the second Test, starting on Wednesday, July 2 at Edgbaston, Birmingham.

Interestingly, Rana, who was part of the India squad in the Border Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25, also played for India A against England Lions, conceding 99 runs in 27 overs, picking up only one wicket in Canterbury.

"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 condition of anonymity. 

When asked about the reason behind adding Rana to the squad as a cover for the opening Test, the Indian head coach Gautam Gambhir asserted that he was held back because the squad was suffering from a few niggles. 

"Harshit Rana, I will discuss with the chairman of selectors. He was held back because of some niggles... everything is fine. I will discuss, and we will then take that call," Gambhir said at the post-match press conference.

Rana, who has played two Tests, five ODIs and a T20I for India so far, has scalped 17 wickets in the international arena. In the longest format of the game, Rana could scalp only four wickets so far in two games.

Team India will next lock horns with England in the second Test of the five-match series at Edgbaston, Birmingham, starting on Wednesday, July 2.

India’s squad for the second Test against England: Shubman Gill (c), Rishabh Pant (vc & wk), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Karun Nair, Nitish Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel (WK), Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohd. Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav.

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