India fast bowler Harshit Rana has been added to India’s squad for the 5-match Test series against England. A top Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) official has confirmed to media that Rana is staying with the Indian team as a cover for a few players who apparently are having a few niggles. He has still not been officially co-opted into the squad. The first Test match of the series starts on June 20 at Headingly, which is known to be a fast bowlers’ paradise.
The players with niggles have not been disclosed, but it has been confirmed to this website that Rana (23), who has featured in two Tests, five ODIs, and one T20I, has been retained only as a backup. He travelled with the Indian team to Leeds, the venue of the first Test, on Tuesday (June 17) from London on Tuesday (June 17).
Harshit Rana joins India’s pace bowling unit for the upcoming five-match Test series against England, starting June 20 at Headingley. The pace attack will be led by Jasprit Bumrah, although he is set to feature in only the first three Tests. Rana will be part of a strong group that includes Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep, and Prasidh Krishna.
Rana last played Test cricket during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy earlier this year, which also marked his Test debut, where India suffered a series defeat to Australia, ultimately missing out on a place in the World Test Championship Final. In that series, Rana picked up 4 wickets in the Adelaide Test but went wicketless in the match at Perth.
The first Test between England and India, for the newly-named Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, will start on Friday (June 20) in Leeds. There will be four other Tests, at Edgbaston (from July 2), at Lord’s (from July 10), at Old Trafford in Manchester (from July 23) and finally at the Oval (from July 31).
