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Harshit Rana Released From England Tour; BCCI Asks KKR Pacer To Fly Back To India - Report

Abhinav Tyagi

Harshit Rana released - (Source : @Cricbuzz/X.com)Harshit Rana released - (Source : @Cricbuzz/X.com)

In a significant development, reports confirm that India’s young seamer Harshit Rana has been released from the Test squad ahead of the second match against England. According to a report by Sahi Malhotra of The Times of India, Rana did not travel with the rest of the squad to Birmingham, which hosts the second Test starting July 2.

Harshit Rana Left Out From Birmingham Trip

The report added that the Shubman Gill-led side departed for their next destination early on Wednesday, but Harshit Rana was not seen boarding the bus, which left without him.

Notably, Rana was not part of the original squad but was added as a backup due to injury concerns within the team. He had been featuring for India A and was already in England, after which the BCCI asked him to stay back and join the squad in case of any serious injuries.

Why Did Harshit Rana Fly Back to India?

It is most likely that Harshit has flown back to India, as there are reportedly no further injury scares within the team.

“I haven’t spoken to the chairman of selectors; 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. But at the moment, everything looks fine, so if everyone is fine, he would have to fly back,” said head coach Gautam Gambhir, as quoted by The Times of India.

Criticism Another Reason Behind Surprise Move

Harshit Rana’s inclusion in the Indian team drew heavy criticism, with both Gambhir and the KKR seamer at the center of the backlash. Fans accused India’s head coach of favoritism, noting that Gambhir had previously worked with Rana at Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). Under Gambhir’s tenure as India coach, Rana made his debut for India in all three formats.

Fans expressed dissatisfaction over Rana’s selection, pointing out that Anshul Kamboj has performed better than Rana in first-class cricket. This criticism could also be a reason behind the management’s decision to fast-track Rana’s exclusion from the squad, even though his presence was considered necessary amid the team’s recent struggles.