Harshit Rana gets a shocking call to India's Test squad for England 2025

Young pacer Harshit Rana is currently in England with the India A squad after his team, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), failed to qualify for the IPL 2025 playoffs. Harshit Rana travelled with the first batch of the players to Kent for the upcoming series against England Lions.

India A is scheduled to play two unofficial Test matches against England Lions and one four-day match against the senior Indian cricket team in the lead-up to the high-profile five-match Test series against England, starting on June 20 in Leeds.

India A to play 2 unofficial Tests against England Lions

The first unofficial Test match between India A and England Lions is scheduled to be held at the St. Lawrence Ground in Canterbury from Friday, May 30, with the second and final game scheduled at the County Ground in Northampton from June 6.

SHORTS

View More

Your daily dose of cricket!

Loading...

The four-day game between India A and Team India will get underway on June 13 at Kent County Cricket Ground, Beckenham. After this tour game, the India A squad will return home, except for those who are part of the Test squad for the five-match series against England.

Harshit Rana is to stay back in England, kept on standby for the Test series

However, Harshit Rana will not return to India on May 17 as initially planned. Instead, the talented Indian pacer will stay back in England to play a couple of county matches. This decision was taken to allow the Indian cricket team to keep Rana in the mix as a potential backup for the Test series.

With injuries and workload management always a factor in such long Test series, the Indian selectors want Rana to stay in England despite not being picked in the Test squad to make sure the national team have an in-form and match-ready option at hand if the need arises.

Read Also: Shreyas Iyer's exclusion exposed Ajit Agarkar alleges teammate

Revsportz posted on X: “Harshit Rana won't go back to India on the 17th. He will play some county matches. This way India can keep their options open in case they need him for the Test series.”

🚨 Breaking

Harshit Rana won't go back to India on 17th. He will play some county matches. This way India can keep their options open in case they need him for the Test series. #ENGvIND @rohitjuglan

📸 Harshit Rana Insta pic.twitter.com/ciCrYRqxVv

— RevSportz Global (@RevSportzGlobal) May 28, 2025

Max Holden named in England Lions squad

Meanwhile, ECB announced a last-minute addition to the England Lions squad for the upcoming series against India A at home. The Middlesex batter Max Holden has been picked in the England Lions squad for the two-match unofficial Test series against India A.

The 27-year-old has been in superb form this season, scoring 663 runs in just seven games at an average of 47.35. Holden started the season in style with a brilliant 184 against Lancashire at Lord’s, and he already has two centuries and two half-centuries to his name so far this season.

Here’s the updated England Lions squad:

James Rew (C), Farhan Ahmed, Rehan Ahmed, Sonny Baker, Jordan Cox, Rocky Flintoff, Emilio Gay, Tom Haines, George Hill, Josh Hull, Eddie Jack, Ben McKinney, Dan Mousley, Ajeet Singh Dale, Chris Woakes, and Max Holden.

On the other hand, the BCCI had earlier said that India’s new Test captain, Shubman Gill, and Gujarat Titans opener Sai Sudharshan will join the India A squad for the second unofficial Test against the England Lions after completing their IPL 2025 duties.

But it is now being said that Gill will only join the Indian squad for the England series. However, there is no official word about Gill’s availability for India A, but there are reports that the skipper is set to be rested before his debut Test series as captain after the grueling IPL 2025.

Here's India A squad for England tour:

Abhimanyu Easwaran (C), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Karun Nair, Dhruv Jurel (VC/WK), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Shardul Thakur, Ishan Kishan (WK), Manav Suthar, Tanush Kotian, Mukesh Kumar, Akash Deep, Harshit Rana, Anshul Kamboj, Khaleel Ahmed, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Sarfaraz Khan, Tushar Deshpande, and Harsh Dubey.

Read Also: Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni demolished in Virender Sehwag's verdict on Digvesh Rathi's ban in IPL 2025