Rishabh Pant has been ruled out of India’s upcoming home Test series against the West Indies due to a lingering foot injury, delivering a significant setback to the Indian team. The series is scheduled to begin next month.
Rishabh Pant had injured his foot during India’s Test tour of England earlier this year. The incident occurred in the fourth Test at Manchester when he was struck by a delivery from Chris Woakes. The impact caused bleeding, and subsequent scans confirmed a fracture, forcing him to miss the final Test at The Oval, London.
Named vice-captain of the Indian Test team ahead of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2025, Rishabh Pant is currently undergoing rehabilitation at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru. He is awaiting further assessments from the BCCI medical team before returning to batting and wicket-keeping practice.
The Indian selection committee, headed by Ajit Agarkar, is set to announce the 15-member squad for the West Indies series on September 24.
Dhruv Jurel Set to Be India’s First-Choice Wicket-Keeper Batter in Rishabh Pant’s Absence
Reports indicate that Dhruv Jurel is likely to be named India’s first-choice wicket-keeper for the upcoming Test series against the West Indies. Narayan Jagadeesan of Tamil Nadu, who had replaced Rishabh Pant for The Oval Test in England, is expected to serve as the backup wicket-keeper.
Currently, Jurel is participating in the unofficial Test series against Australia A, where he impressed with a brilliant century in the first match. He is slated to lead India A in the second unofficial Test against Australia A. Other contenders for spots in the home Test series against the West Indies include Nitish Kumar Reddy and Devdutt Padikkal.
Padikkal also showcased his form with a century in the first unofficial Test, while Reddy, who was part of India’s squad against England, missed the fourth Test due to a knee injury.
Rishabh Pant: India and the West Indies are scheduled to play two Tests next month. The first Test will begin on October 2 at the Narendra Modi International Cricket Stadium in Ahmedabad, followed by the second Test from October 10 to 14 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi. This series marks the second Test engagement for both teams in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2025-27 cycle.