India’s wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant will reportedly miss next month’s two-match home Test series against the West Indies after failing to recover from injury.
According to a report in ESPNCricinfo, the 15-member India team will be chosen by the Ajit Agarkar-led selection panel on Wednesday, September 24. This is two fewer than the squad for the 0-3 series loss to New Zealand in October last year.
Pant, who was Shubman Gill’s deputy during the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy in England, fractured his left foot on the opening day of the fourth Test in Manchester in July. N Jagadeesan of Tamil Nadu was selected to replace Pant in the team for the fifth and final Test against England at The Oval in London.
Pant has been going through conditioning and strength training. Before he can start batting and keeping again, he is awaiting more information from the BCCI medical staff. His comeback to on-field activity has not yet been given a specific date.
The ESPNCricinfo report also stated that India will go to Australia for a white-ball series that will start on October 19 following the West Indies series.
In the absence of Pant, Dhruv Jurel is expected to keep wickets for India against the West Indies in Ahmedabad (October 2–6) and Delhi (October 10–14).
For the final two Test matches between India and England, he took up the gloves. At the moment, Jurel is a member of the India A team for the multi-day match against Australia A in Lucknow.
Opening for India A, Jagadeesan switched wicketkeeping responsibilities with Jurel and might be chosen as a backup if the selectors decide to add another specialist wicketkeeper.
