Wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant has been officially ruled out of the fifth and final Test of the ICC World Test Championship series against England due to a fractured right foot, sustained during the first innings of the fourth Test in Manchester. Narayan Jagadeesan has been named as his replacement, as confirmed by the International Cricket Council (ICC).
Pant’s injury is a significant setback for India. The 27-year-old had been one of the standout performers of the series, scoring 479 runs at an impressive average of 68.42, including two centuries and three half-centuries. In the Manchester Test, he battled through pain to notch a gritty 54 off 75 balls, hitting three fours and two sixes.
Jagadeesan, who joins the squad as Pant’s cover, brings strong domestic credentials. The Tamil Nadu wicketkeeper has scored 3,373 runs in 52 first-class matches at an average of 47.50, including 10 centuries and 14 fifties.
As India aims to level the five-match series at The Oval, Pant’s absence will be keenly felt. The series has seen fluctuating fortunes — with England winning the opener at Trent Bridge, India bouncing back at Edgbaston, England edging ahead again at Lord’s, and the fourth Test ending in a hard-fought draw at Old Trafford.
India’s updated squad for the 5th 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, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Kuldeep Yadav, Anshul Kamboj, Arshdeep Singh, N Jagadeesan (WK).
