Follow us on
India’s wicketkeeper-batter Narayan Jagadeesan has been drafted into the squad for the fifth and final Test against England at The Oval, replacing Rishabh Pant, who has been ruled out after sustaining a fracture to his right foot during the fourth Test in Manchester.
Pant suffered the injury after being struck on the boot by a Chris Woakes delivery on day one at Old Trafford. Despite the pain, he resumed his innings the next day and scored a gritty 54 off 75 balls before retiring hurt again. Scans later confirmed the metatarsal fracture, ending his involvement in the series.
With Pant amassing 479 runs at an average of 68.42—including back-to-back centuries in the opening Test and three fifties—he finishes as India’s third-highest run scorer in the series, and the most prolific wicketkeeper in a single Test series in England, surpassing Alec Stewart.
Jagadeesan: The New Man Behind the Stumps
The 29‑year‑old Tamil Nadu-based keeper-batter makes his maiden Test squad appearance, having consistently featured in India’s red‑ball discussions over the past year. His domestic record is outstanding: over 3,300 first‑class runs at an average near 47.50 across 52 matches, including 10 centuries and 14 fifties.
Jagadeesan’s call‑up came as little surprise—selectors had him on their radar as a “targeted player,” and after news of Pant’s injury broke, his UK visa was expedited, allowing him to fly out to England swiftly.
What It Means for India at The Oval
With the series poised at 2–1 in England’s favour, India heads into the fifth Test beginning 31 July 2025 needing a win at Kennington Oval to level the five-match ICC World Test Championship series.
Wicketkeeper duties in the playing XI are likely to fall to Dhruv Jurel, who had kept in Pant’s absence during the third and fourth Tests. Jagadeesan brings depth to the bench, offering a domestic pedigree well-suited to English conditions.
Updated India Squad for 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, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Kuldeep Yadav, Anshul Kamboj, Arshdeep Singh, Narayan Jagadeesan (wk)
Analysis & Outlook
Pant’s absence leaves a significant void—not just for his batting firepower but also his impact on the collective confidence of the side. Jagadeesan’s selection reflects India’s intent to remain balanced behind the stumps while preserving batting depth.
Jurel is expected to feature in the XI, with Jagadeesan providing backup and competition—ensuring India enters The Oval with both experience and reliability in their red-ball wicketkeeping setup.
What to watch: Whether Jagadeesan gets match action depends partly on team tactics—India’s support for Jurel versus the option of introducing fresh energy behind the stumps.
Follow All India Insights for breaking updates on this evolving Southeast Asia crisis. We’ll keep you posted with verified reports, background context, and diplomatic developments. Others on this like espncricinfo.