BCCI confirms Narayan Jagadeesan to replace injured Pant in series decider at The Oval

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has confirmed that star wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant will miss the fifth and final Test against England at The Oval after sustaining a foot fracture during the fourth Test in Manchester. The match is scheduled to begin on July 31, 2025.

Pant was injured while attempting a reverse sweep off Chris Woakes, with the ball ricocheting onto his right foot. Despite visible swelling and needing a cart to leave the field on Day 1, he returned the following day, limping, to notch a gritty half-century. He was later replaced as wicketkeeper by Dhruv Jurel for the rest of the match.

In a statement, the BCCI confirmed, "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."

Narayan Jagadeesan called up as replacement

The BCCI also announced Tamil Nadu batter Narayan Jagadeesan as Pant's replacement for the Oval Test. The Men’s Selection Committee made the decision ahead of the crucial series finale in London.

India head coach Gautam Gambhir praised Pant's resilience, hailing his contribution despite the injury.

"It’s been declared that he’s out of the series, and one thing I want to say is that the character and the foundation of this team will be built on something what Rishabh did for the team and for the country,"* Gambhir said.

"Any amount of praise is not enough for him, especially while batting with a broken foot. Not many people have done that in the past... The generations to come will talk about this as they should."