Narayan Jagadeesan to Make Test Debut as Replacement for Rishabh Pant in Final Test vs England
India Squad Update: Pant Ruled Out, Jagadeesan Called Up
The BCCI on July 27, 2025, confirmed that Rishabh Pant has been ruled out of the fifth Test at The Oval due to a fracture in his right foot, which occurred in the fourth Test at Manchester. As cover, Narayan Jagadeesan, Tamil Nadu wicketkeeper-batsman, has been added to the squad, his first international call-up.
India’s new squad now boasts two wicketkeepers: Dhruv Jurel and Jagadeesan, with KL Rahul keeping nil because of fitness concerns.
As first reported by Your IPL News, Jagadeesan’s call-up had been under discussion following Pant’s injury and was confirmed by the BCCI shortly after medical scans.
Stellar Domestic Record & Recent Form
Jagadeesan’s steady brilliance in domestic cricket earned him this selection:
- Ranji Trophy: 816 runs at 74.18 average in the season 2023-24 and later 674 runs at 56.16 in the season 2024-25, topping Tamil Nadu’s table for both seasons.
- First-Class Career (through March 2025): 3,373 runs in 52 matches, average of 47.50, including 10 hundreds and 14 fifty-hundreds; highest score: 321.
- List A Achievement: Made 277 out of 147 balls in the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2022, world record for most individual List A score, and hit hundreds in five straight innings.
Selection Backstory & Arrival in England
Jagadeesan’s selection was no surprise to him – he revealed he was part of BCCI’s “targeted players list” and had been preparing for this moment in Coimbatore when he got the call. His coach, AG Guruswamy, praised his strong work ethic, mental toughness, and wicketkeeping finesse, emphasising that his batting alone wasn’t the sole reason for selection.
Jagadeesan received his UK visa within days and was to fly to England a few days following the announcement, joining the team ahead of the 31 July Test start at The Oval.
Challenges & Alternate Choices
Many people welcome Jagadeesan’s choice, but some critics had problems with it:
- He lacks international exposure, especially in English weather conditions, a tough spot for Test debuts.
- KS Bharat, who is already experienced and playing in England, was considered to be a highly reliable back-up with experience in Tests
- Some believed that India could have used this role to provide bowling depth, with heavy bench strength already available in wicket-keeping (Jurel, Rahul), but the selection committee decided to bring batting depth in Jagadeesan.
IPL Journey: CSK & KKR Experiences
While Jagadeesan’s red-ball record is good, his T20/white-ball heroics were few:
- Signed by Chennai Super Kings in the 2018 IPL auction, made his debut in October 2020 but played only sporadically until 2020-22.
- Signed by Kolkata Knight Riders in December 2022 for the 2023 season, scored moderately compared to his domestic performance
Although with limited success in the IPL, Jagadeesan was one of Tamil Nadu’s top performers in the TNPL, including a 41-ball 81 in July 2025, just before his call‑up
Summary Table
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Injury Update | Rishabh Pant fractured right foot at Old Trafford; out of final Test |
| Replacement | Narayan Jagadeesan selected; first Test call‑up |
| Domestic Form | Ranji: 816 @ 74.18 (23‑24), 674 @ 56.16 (24‑25); List-A record score |
| First‑class Stats | 3,373 runs @ 47.50 avg; 321 HS; 10 hundreds |
| Visa & Travel | UK visa secured; traveled to England soon after the selection |
| Positive aspects of the selection | Batting + sound wicketkeeping; on the list of identified players |
| Criticisms | No previous international or England experience; KS Bharat seen as an alternative |
| IPL Career | CSK (2020-22), KKR (2023); consistent contribution; TNPL best player |
Narayan Jagadeesan’s arrival is at a juncture when India is in its time of need, the series is 2-1 in favour of England, and victory by India in the fifth Test will make the ICC World Test Championship stand at 2-2. Be it by playing or by staying as reserve cover, his inclusion is an endorsement of domestic solidity and technique.
