The injured Rishabh Pant is expected to be replaced by Tamil Nadu wicketkeeper-batter Narayan Jagadeesan in India’s squad for the fifth and final Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2025. According to reports, Jagadeesan is the front-runner to wear the gloves at The Oval after Ishan Kishan was also ruled out due to an unfortunate mishap.
On Day 1 of the fourth Test at Old Trafford, Pant, the vice captain and main wicketkeeper for India, attempted a reverse sweep against Chris Woakes and broke his right toe. Later scans showed a metatarsal fracture, and the hit was severe enough to send him off the pitch in a buggy. Pant was given a six- to eight-week recovery time, but on Day 2, he bravely batted again and was greeted with cheers.
The Indian team management and BCCI started looking at replacement options after Pant was declared out for the remainder of the series. At first, Kishan was being contemplated. The 27-year-old had made an impression when playing for Nottinghamshire in the County Championship, hitting two scores of fifty or more against Somerset and Yorkshire, respectively.
Pant has now lost two straight Test matches due to injury.
But according to a story in The Times of India, Kishan hurt his ankle after falling off a scooter, and his left foot has 10 stitches, and his leg is currently in a plaster. He will not be able to participate in the Oval Test due to this injury.
The 29-year-old Tamil Nadu wicketkeeper-batter N Jagadeesan has therefore been chosen by the selectors. The right-handed hitter has scored 3373 runs in 52 first-class appearances thus far. Notably, the BCCI is anticipated to make an official announcement soon. Prior to the start of the fifth Test later this week, Jagadeesan is probably going to join the squad. His workload had already been questioned after he was struck in the left index finger while keeping in the Lord’s Test. Legends and supporters praised him on his comeback to batting in Manchester despite having a fractured toe.
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