Rishabh Pant Replacement: With Rishabh Pant missing the remainder of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2025, N Jagadeesan will be selected as his replacement.
The Tamil Nadu wicketkeeper batsman is likely to make his way into the Indian team before the fifth and final Test in Manchester. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), national selectors, and team management identified Jagadeesan as the best candidate to replace Pant.
Injury Setback for Rishabh Pant
Pant, who broke his right toe on Day 1 of the fourth Test at Old Trafford, has been ruled out for the rest of the series after suffering the injury while batting and walking off the ground early. After some scans, it was confirmed Pant would be unavailable for the remainder of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy and was sent home by the Indian administration, who now have to find a replacement.
Why Jagadeesan Was Picked as Rishabh Pant Replacement
The selectors and team management, after considering multiple options, have settled on N Jagadeesan, who has been very consistent in domestic red-ball cricket.
Jagadeesan is 29 years old and has already played 52 first-class games, which gives him the experience of scoring 3373 runs at a commendable average of 47.50. From all the red-ball cricket he has played, he has 14 half-centuries and 10 centuries, so he should fit in quite nicely with the Indian team.
Jagadeesan’s Impressive Domestic Record
During the latest Ranji season, Jagadeesan was one of the standout performers. He scored 674 runs in eight games at a stellar average of 56.16, with two hundreds and five half-centuries. His total was the best for Tamil Nadu, and among wicketkeepers-batsmen, he contributed the second-highest tally in the league, only behind Vidarbha’s Akshay Wadkar.
Ishan Kishan Not Available for Selection
Pant’s initial understudy, Ishan Kishan, was also thought to be his possible replacement as he is also a wicketkeeper-batter. It was later confirmed, though, that the 27-year-old from Jharkhand was not available for the tour, prompting the selectors to look towards Jagadeesan.
Though KS Bharat was another choice, the Andhra wicket-keeper batter was not thought about for selection since he is presently playing in England with Dulwich CC. Bharat has domestic experience playing in England, even participating in a Test, but the selectors chose Jagadeesan’s domestic form over Bharat’s Test experience.
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Current Wicketkeeping Situation in the Squad
Dhruv Jurel is already with the team and will remain the wicket-keeper in the current Old Trafford Test. Also, KL Rahul is another backup option, as he has wicket-kept in several international games, such as the ICC World Cup and Champions Trophy.
Jagadeesan’s Chance in International Cricket
The addition of Jagadeesan to the team is an exciting chance for the 29-year-old to leave his imprint on the global platform. Repeatedly proving himself consistent and resilient in domestic cricket, Jagadeesan will make a good contribution to Team India in the rest of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2025.
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