Fast-bowling all-rounder Harshit Rana will stay with the Indian Test team in England, a report stated, quoting sources.
Rana was in England with the India ‘A’ team 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 India ‘A’ team members who are not part of the main Test side or do not have a county deal yet may fly back home on Tuesday. In England, Rana played in the first game against the England Lions at Canterbury, where he returned with 1-99 and scored 16 runs.
Rana made his Test debut on last year’s tour of Australia, where he took only 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 chose Akash Deep, Arshdeep Singh, and Prasidh Krishna for the fast-bowling department alongside Jaspreet Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj.
Overall, Rana from New Delhi averages 27.79 with the ball in 13 first-class games, having taken 48 wickets. He also averages 32.80 with the bat, including a century and two fifties.
