IND vs ENG: India reach Leeds via train for series opener, Harshit Rana added to squad as cover

Harshit Rana joins India squad as unofficial backup. (Photo: PTI)

IND vs ENG: Pacer Harshit Rana has been included in the India Test squad as a cover and travelled with the rest of the team via train to reach Leeds, the venue for the series opener against England.

Rana was part of the India A squad and played the first unofficial test against England Lions in Canterbury. The tall pacer had made his debut in Australia last year but was not included in the 18-man squad for the five Tests in England.

The 23-year-old from Delhi has played two Tests, five ODIs and a T20.

"He has been added as cover and arrived in Leeds with the team today," said a BCCI source.

Rana was seen exiting the Leeds train station with the rest of the squad members. The team had travelled to Leeds from London. The first Test begins at Headingley on June 20.

India played an intra-squad game against India A at Beckenham, their sole warm-up game for the series. Having said that, the likes of K L Rahul, Karun Nair, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shardul Thakur, Dhruv Jurel and Nitish Reddy arrived in the UK with the A squad and got welcome match practice.