Rishabh Pant to Miss Upcoming Test Series Against West Indies

Rishabh Pant's Absence in West Indies Test Series

New Delhi, September 22: India's dynamic wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant will not participate in the upcoming two-match Test series against the West Indies, which is set to begin in Ahmedabad on October 2, as reported by a sports news outlet.

The selection committee for India will convene on September 24. The panel, led by Ajit Agarkar, is expected to announce a 15-member squad, which is two players short of the team that faced a 3-0 defeat against New Zealand in their last home series in October 2024.

Pant, who served as the vice-captain to Shubman Gill during the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy in England earlier this year, sustained a fractured left foot on the first day of the fourth Test in Manchester. N Jagadeesan from Tamil Nadu was named as his replacement for the final Test at the Oval.

As per reports, Pant is currently undergoing strength and conditioning training and is waiting for updates from the BCCI medical team before he can resume batting and wicketkeeping. There is currently no set timeline for his return to competitive play. Following the West Indies series, India is scheduled to tour Australia for a white-ball series starting on October 19.

In Pant's absence, Dhruv Jurel is anticipated to take on wicketkeeping duties against the West Indies. Jurel has already donned the gloves for India in the last two Tests against England. He is also part of the India A squad for the multi-day match against Australia A in Lucknow. Jagadeesan, who opened for India A, has been alternating keeping responsibilities with Jurel and may be selected as a backup if the selectors decide to include a second specialist wicketkeeper.

The selectors are also considering the addition of Nitish Kumar Reddy and Devdutt Padikkal for the Test series. Padikkal scored 150 runs for India A against Australia A in the first four-day match in Lucknow and has previously played two Tests for India.

Reddy, a talented all-rounder, has toured Australia and England with the Indian team and has seven Test caps. He was in the running for a spot in the first game against Australia A after recovering from a knee injury sustained in England, but he did not make it to the final XI. Both players have been included in the squad for the second four-day match, which starts on Tuesday in Lucknow.

Currently, India holds the third position in the World Test Championship standings and aims to improve its ranking by securing victories in the two Tests against the West Indies, which are part of the ongoing 2025-27 cycle.