India vs England: Harshit Rana asked to stay back with the India squad

The dress rehearsals for the India Tour of England have concluded, and the main challenge is now at the fore. The tour kicked off with the India A squad clashing against England Lions in a two-match series. The series was followed by an intra-squad match at the Kent County Cricket Ground, where the India squad faced the India A side. After three days of action in Beckenham, the India squad is on its way to Leeds, where the first India vs England Test will kickstart on June 20. Meanwhile, Harshit Rana, a part of the India A squad for the series, has been asked to stay back with the main camp.

India A completes its England Tour after the conclusion of intra-squad match at Kent

Team India is set to step into the new WTC Cycle with the five-match India vs England series. The series on English soil marks a significant transition for the visitors, who will take on their first Test assignment following the retirements of veteran picks Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. The senior players bid their respective adieus earlier in May, leaving the reins of the Test setup in the hands of a relatively raw team. Shubman Gill has been announced as India's new Test captain, with the England tour marking his maiden captaincy assignment.

The stakes are high for the touring India side, as eyes are glued to note their performance in the absence of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. Moreover, Jasprit Bumrah is also confirmed to play limited matches in the series, with the pacer's workload being sternly managed to avoid any further injury concerns. Apart from the exit of the senior lot, focus will be on gauging the leadership abilities of the young Shubman Gill. Furthermore, the squad has a record to beat in England, with India last winning a Test series on English soil in 2007.

To fill the gaps in the combination, India called up Sai Sudharsan and Karun Nair in the squad for the England tour. Moreover, Abhimanyu Easwaran also earned a spot, and Arshdeep Singh was called in to bolster the pace department. However, the new additions came at the back of some notable exclusions. Sarfaraz Khan, Mohammed Shami, and Harshit Rana were ignored for selection. While Shami's fitness posed a challenge, there was no clarity provided behind dropping Sarfaraz and Rana at the turn of the new WTC Cycle.

Both the players were, however, sent to England as part of the India A squad. The India A squad, furthermore, included the likes of Karun Nair, Abhimanyu Easwaran, and KL Rahul, who aimed at acclimatising with the English conditions ahead of the five-match series. The two-match series against England was followed by an intra-squad match where the India A players challenged the main squad.

The intra-squad fixture in Kent may have served as a tune-up for the senior Indian side, led by Shubman Gill, ahead of the Test series against England. But for the India A players, it was much more than just a warm-up, it was another stage to showcase their skills and, perhaps, push for a late inclusion. The likes of KL Rahul, Shardul Thakur, and Karun Nair proved their worth in the matches against England Lions. Meanwhile, Shardul Thakur continued his exploits in Beckenham as well.

Harshit Rana asked to stay with the main squad for the India vs England Test series

Across the India A series and the intra-squad match, some names grabbed attention with their impressive turn-up. Apart from the players from the main India squad, Anshul Kamboj, Sarfaraz Khan, and Tanush Kotian broke into the list of top performers. While Kamboj and Kotian impressed against England Lions, Sarfaraz Khan headlined Day 2 of the intra-squad match at Kent, where he smashed a century. However, as the time of India A's return has arrived, an interesting update has followed.

According to the latest report from the camp, fast bowler Harshit Rana, a part of the India A contingent, is expected to remain in England and won’t be flying back with his teammates on June 17. While several Indian cricketers have attracted interest from County teams in England, the report suggests Rana’s situation stands apart. However, it remains unclear whether his extended stay is linked to a potential inclusion in India’s Test squad.

Harshit Rana featured in only one India A match, returning figures of 1/99 and scoring 16 runs. Details of his intra-squad performance haven’t surfaced, as the match was held privately with no access for fans or media. The KKR pick made his red-ball debut in the Perth Test, the Border Gavaskar Trophy opener in Australia. The young speedster played two matches out of the five in the BGT, picking up four wickets.

Despite his promising start, Rana didn’t find a place in the squad for the England series. Instead, the selectors went with Akash Deep, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Siraj, and Prasidh Krishna to join Jasprit Bumrah in the pace attack. Now, as the India vs England series nears, Rana has been asked to stay back with the squad. It is yet not clear whether Rana will be officially added to the main squad for the five-match series or assist the team in the capacity of a net bowler. Meanwhile, the Indian team is set to arrive in Leeds on June 17, where Gautam Gambhir, who had returned to India due to a personal matter, will rejoin the squad.