Leeds, June 25 (IANS) Seam-bowling all-rounder Harshit Rana has been released from India’s squad ahead of the second Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy series, for which the team has travelled to Birmingham. Sources have told IANS that Rana is now on his way back to India from Leeds itself.

Rana was previously added to India’s squad for the first Test in Leeds, which England won by five wickets by chasing 371 on a thrilling final day at Headingley.

“Actually, one of the pacers in the main Test team had a niggle. If the team think-tank wished to have someone as a back-up bowler who could execute a bouncer-led strategy, it was Rana who fit the bill and thus was held back.”

“But as things stand, everything is fine now. As a result, Rana has now been released from the squad, and that’s why he was not spotted with the team on their travel to Birmingham,” the sources further told IANS.

Rana made his Test debut during last year’s tour of Australia for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series, where he managed to pick just four wickets at an average of 50.75, with his best figures being 3-48 in Perth. In England, Rana got his chance to play in the first game for India ‘A’ against England Lions at Canterbury, where he returned with figures of 1-99 and scored 16 runs.

Meanwhile, Wednesday was a travel day for the Shubman Gill-led Indian team. The players will have a day off on Thursday and are likely to begin their training sessions on Friday in preparation for the second Test starting on July 2 at Edgbaston.

With England now 1-0 up in the five-match series, India have a task at their hands to bounce back, especially after suffering a stinging defeat in Leeds, despite having five centuries and a five-wicket haul in their kitty.

India are in England for a five-match Test series, their first outing in the World Test Championship 2025-27 cycle.

–IANS

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