Jagadeesan Receives Maiden Test Call-Up as Pant Suffers Foot Fracture

MANCHESTER: N Jagadeesan, a wicketkeeper-batter from Tamil Nadu, has been selected for the Indian Test squad for the first time. This occurred ahead of the fifth and final Test against England, which begins on Thursday at The Oval.

He replaces Rishabh Pant, who sustained a fracture in his right foot while batting during the fourth Test that recently took place at Old Trafford.

Pant, who previously dealt with a finger injury during the third Test, will miss the series’ final match, creating an opportunity for Jagadeesan’s inclusion.

The 29-year-old is anticipated to be in London joining the team by Tuesday, having secured his visa on Sunday morning.

He will support Dhruv Jurel, who has been the wicketkeeper for the past two Tests during Pant’s absence.

Jagadeesan has regularly performed well in domestic cricket and has been followed closely by national selectors for a while.

In successive Ranji Trophy seasons, he was Tamil Nadu’s highest run-scorer, amassing 816 runs at an average of 74.18 in 2023-24, and 674 runs at 56.16 in 2024-25.

Since his first-class debut in 2016, Jagadeesan has accumulated 3,373 runs in 79 innings, averaging 47.50, with 10 centuries and 14 half-centuries, including a personal best of 321 against Chandigarh in January 2024.

Despite not being selected for the India A team for their recent tour of England, Jagadeesan has been part of the BCCI’s targeted player pool for the past year.

Earlier this month, Jagadeesan played for Chepauk Super Gillies in the Tamil Nadu Premier League, where he hit 81 off 41 balls on July 4.

This will be his second visit to the UK, after leading a Tamil Nadu Colts team on a tour last year. The fifth Test commences on Thursday at The Oval, with England leading the series 2-1.