New Delhi, June 16 (IANS) Fast-bowling all-rounder Harshit Rana will stay back with the Indian Test team in England, it has been confirmed by sources to IANS. Rana was with the India ‘A’ team in England to play two four-day matches against the England Lions and an intra-squad game against the Test team in Beckenham.

“Yes, after a lot of speculation going around, it has now been confirmed that Rana will stay back with the Indian Test team. But it is yet to be known if he will be officially added to the Indian Test squad ahead of the series starting on June 20,” the sources, who are aware of the development, told IANS.

It is understood that the members of India ‘A’ team who aren’t in the main Test side or haven’t landed a county deal yet might be on the flight back home on Tuesday. In England, Rana got his chance to play in the first game against England Lions at Canterbury, where he returned with 1-99 and made 16 runs.

Rana made his Test debut on last year’s tour of Australia, where he managed to pick just four wickets at an average of 50.75, with his best figures being 3-48 in Perth. He was not selected for the upcoming five-match series against England as the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee picked Akash Deep, Arshdeep Singh, and Prasidh Krishna to be in the fast-bowling department alongside Jaspreet Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj.

Overall, the New Delhi-based Rana averages 27.79 with the ball in 13 first-class cricket games, having taken 48 wickets. He also averages 32.80 with the bat, including hitting a century and two fifties.

India, captained by Shubman Gill, are aiming to win a Test series in England for the first time since 2007. The five-match Test series, to be played at Headingley, Edgbaston, Lord’s, Old Trafford, and The Oval, will also be India’s first assignment in the 2025-27 World Test Championship (WTC) cycle.

–IANS

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