Team India faces a major blow as its star wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant has been ruled out of the fifth and final Test against England at Kennington Oval, London, starting on July 31, 2025. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) confirmed on Sunday that Pant suffered a fracture to his right foot during the fourth Test in Manchester and won’t recover in time for the Oval clash.
“Rishabh Pant ruled out of fifth Test due to injury; N Jagadeesan named replacement,” the BCCI posted on X.
🚨 𝗦𝗾𝘂𝗮𝗱 𝗨𝗽𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲 🚨
Rishabh Pant ruled out of fifth Test due to injury; N Jagadeesan named replacement.
All The Details 🔽 #TeamIndia | #ENGvIND
— BCCI (@BCCI) July 27, 2025
Pant sustained the injury while attempting a reverse sweep on Day 1 of the Manchester Test. Despite the pain, Pant continued to bat on one leg and scored 54 runs off 75 balls before retiring hurt. The episode drew widespread admiration for his incredible spirit, but despite the praise, his unavailability for such a crucial match is a massive setback for India’s batting line-up.
In an official statement, the BCCI said, “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 Medical Team will continue to monitor his progress, and the team wishes him a speedy recovery.”
The Men’s Selection Committee has named Narayan Jagadeesan as Pant’s replacement for the fifth Test at the Oval. Jagadeesan has been in contention for a while, catching the selectors’ eyes through consistent performances in domestic cricket and emerging as a reliable wicketkeeper-batter.
India have shown great resilience in this series. Consecutive centuries from Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar in Manchester helped them draw the fourth Test, leveling the series 2-2 despite some controversial umpiring decisions. But losing Pant ahead of a series-deciding match is a serious concern for a team already battling form, fatigue, and inconsistency. His absence could make the task significantly harder as they try to end a tough tour on a positive note.
Here is the latest Indian squad for the 5th Test:
Shubman Gill (C), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyuu 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).
Meanwhile, India’s medical team will continue to monitor Pant’s condition as the team prepares for its upcoming series. For now, all eyes will be on the Oval, where the high-stakes final Test against England is set to determine the series outcome.
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