Rishabh Pant ruled out of last India vs England Test: Narayan Jagadeesan named replacement
In an impeccable show of grit, India forced Bazball into a draw in the Manchester Test. Three Indian batters, including captain Shubman Gill, scored centuries to defy the 311-run lead set by the hosts. Thanks to the steady stands of Gill, KL Rahul, Ravindra Jadeja, and Washington Sundar, the visitors didn't need to bring out Rishabh Pant in the second innings. The wicketkeeper-batter sustained a foot injury while batting on the opening day of the fourth India vs England Test. While he braved through the injury in Manchester, the wicketkeeper will now focus on recovery, as the BCCI has confirmed that Narayan Jagadeesan will replace him in the India squad for the last Test.
Narayan Jagadeesan replaces injured Rishabh Pant in the India squad for the last India vs England Test
Going into the last Test, the five-match India vs England series is poised 2-1 in favor of the hosts. With the draw in the Manchester Test, India managed to dash the possibility of a series defeat until the proceedings move to The Oval. Meanwhile, soon after the completion of the fourth Test, the Indian camp updated the position of the injured Rishabh Pant in the squad. Batting on Day 1 of the Manchester Test, Pant copped a blow to his right ankle while attempting a reverse sweep off Chris Woakes.
The blow was significant enough to fracture his ankle, as Pant retired hurt on the day. However, the wicketkeeper-batter returned on Day 2 to complete his knock as he fought against the pain. The Indian vice-captain scored a half-century, helping India post 358 against the hosts. As the time came for the guests to bat against the 311-run lead set by England, India's batting coach, Sitanshu Kotak, confirmed that Rishabh Pant would be available to bat in the second innings if the situation demanded.
While the fall of two wickets in the first over of the second innings put India in a tough spot, KL Rahul and Shubman Gill knitted a 188-run partnership to steady the innings. While Rahul scored 90, Gill went on to score his fourth ton in the India vs England series. As India gained a footing with Gill and Rahul's partnership, Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar were sent up the order to shield Pant. The move proved fruitful as Jadeja and Sundar came up with another defining stand that helped India erase the lead and force England into a draw in the Manchester Test.
Now, the BCCI, in an official statement, has confirmed that Rishabh Pant has been ruled out of the Oval Test. Earlier reports suggested that the board would call up Ishan Kishan as Pant's replacement in the India squad for the last fixture. However, it was later updated that the wicketkeeper-batter, who played in the County Championship for Northamptonshire, had been struggling with an ankle injury himself. Meanwhile, the board has called up Tamil Nadu player Narayan Jagadeesan to the squad for the next fixture in India cricket schedule. While an uncapped prospect, Jagadeesan has impressive credits to his name in the domestic circuit.
"Rishabh Pant, who sustained a fracture to his right foot during the fourth Test against England in Manchester, has been ruled out of the fifth and final Test of the series," the BCCI updated. "The BCCI Medical Team will continue to monitor his progress and the team wishes him a speedy recovery."
Meanwhile, it is expected that Dhruv Jurel will replace Pant in the Indian Playing XI for the last India vs England Test. Jurel filled in for Rishabh Pant as a substitute wicketkeeper in both the Lord's Test and the Manchester Test. With Pant ruled out completely, Jurel is expected to join the combination as the designated wicketkeeper-batter. Rishabh Pant, however, will be missed significantly by the visitors in the crucial match. The wicketkeeper has scored 479 runs across seven innings, including three half-centuries and twin centuries in the opening Test at Headingley. Averaging 68.42, Pant is the third-highest scorer for the visitors in the series, behind Shubman Gill and KL Rahul.
India's updated squad for the fifth Test: Shubman Gill (C), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Karun Nair, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel (WK), Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohd. Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Kuldeep Yadav, Anshul Kamboj, Arshdeep Singh, N Jagadeesan (WK)
