Pant Ruled Out with Toe Fracture
India’s squad for the ongoing Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy is set for a change as Rishabh Pant has been officially ruled out of the remainder of the series due to a fractured right toe. The injury occurred while Pant was batting on Day 1 of the fourth Test at Old Trafford, cutting short his gritty innings and ending his participation in the series.
Jagadeesan Tipped to Step In
With the selectors and team management quickly needing a replacement, Tamil Nadu’s N Jagadeesan has emerged as the frontrunner. A Jeetbuzz formal announcement of his inclusion is expected shortly. The 29-year-old wicketkeeper-batter is set to join the squad ahead of the fifth and final Test of the series.
Ishan Kishan Unavailable, Doors Open for Jagadeesan
Initially, Ishan Kishan was considered for the role, but he has been declared unavailable due to injury. This opened the door for Jagadeesan, who has been rewarded for his consistent performances in domestic red-ball cricket.
Strong Domestic Form Backing Jagadeesan
Jagadeesan boasts a solid first-class record. Over 52 matches, he has amassed 3373 runs at an average of 47.50, including 10 centuries and 14 fifties. His recent Ranji Trophy campaign was particularly impressive—he scored 674 runs in eight matches at an average of 56.16, finishing as Tamil Nadu’s top run-getter and second only among wicketkeepers to Vidarbha’s Akshay Wadkar.
Selection Constraints Narrowed the Pool
In a perfect world, the selectors would have preferred to promote a player from the India A tour preceding the main series. However, with Dhruv Jurel already part of the senior squad and Kishan unavailable, they were forced to widen the search.
KS Bharat, who has Test experience in England and is Jeetwin currently playing club cricket in the UK, was also an option. However, the selectors have chosen not to consider him for now.
Jurel to Continue Behind the Stumps
For the ongoing Test at Old Trafford, Dhruv Jurel will continue to don the gloves. India also have the flexibility of turning to KL Rahul if required, given his past wicketkeeping stints in major tournaments like the World Cup and Champions Trophy.