Harshit Rana Added to India’s Squad for First Test Against England. The BCCI has named fast bowler Harshit Rana in India’s squad for the opening Test match against England, set to begin on June 20 at Headingley, Leeds. The five-match series will mark a fresh chapter for the Indian team under new captain Shubman Gill, as they prepare to face Ben Stokes’ England side.
Rana recently featured in the unofficial Test series between India A and England Lions, where he played in the first match and took one wicket. He was rested for the second game.
The 23-year-old pacer also has prior Test experience, having played two matches in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 against Australia, where he claimed four wickets. In addition, he has represented India in five ODIs and one T20I.
BCCI: India Announces Updated Squad for First Test Against England at Headingley
The BCCI officially announced on Wednesday, June 18, the inclusion of pacer Harshit Rana in India’s squad for the opening Test against England. “The Men’s Selection Committee has added Harshit Rana to India’s squad for the first Test in Leeds against England. Rana, who was part of the India A squad, has joined the senior team as they begin preparations for the series opener,” the BCCI statement read.
The five-match Test series begins at Headingley, Leeds on June 20, 2025. India’s Updated Squad for the First Test: Shubman Gill (Captain), Rishabh Pant (Vice-captain & WK), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Dhruv Jurel (WK), Abhimanyu Easwaran, Karun Nair, Nitish Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana.
The series finale is scheduled for July 31 at The Kia Oval in London. England will be without key fast bowlers Mark Wood, Jofra Archer, and Gus Atkinson, who are all sidelined due to injuries. This series also marks the opening campaign for both teams in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2025–27, after neither side qualified for the final in the previous cycle.
