Can India Find a Reliable Keeper After Rishabh Pant’s Injury?

The India tour of England has not been great for the Indian team lately, as various injury issues have affected the team. Players like Arshdeep Singh and Nitish Kumar Reddy were already unavailable for the games due to their respective injuries. Due to this, the team entered the fourth Test with some forced changes.

Known for depth in its batting line-up, Team India suffered another blow on the first day of the fourth Test at Old Trafford. In this match, Rishabh Pant got injured while he was attempting a reverse shot against Chris Woakes. The delivery had a direct impact on his foot, which caused him trouble while standing on the crease.

Immediately, the medics came to the crease, and Rishabh Pant was taken out in a golf-cart-like vehicle. The scans and other medical reports also took place, which confirmed that Pant won’t be available for the remainder of the series for the Indian team. This has already given a setback in this game, as India will have just 10 batsmen, missing out on Spidey.

However, one major question remains about the players who could keep the wickets and also bat well for the Indian team in the final Test. Dhruv Jurel would be maintaining the stumps for the team in this match, but let’s explore the wicket-keeping options India has for the final Test.

Dhruv Jurel

Dhruv Jurel comes in as the primary option for the Indian team for keeping the wickets in the absence of Rishabh Pant for the last Test. Although Jurel leaked some runs with the gloves in the Lord’s Test, he still has proven worthy to keep the stumps well and also holds some potential with the bat.

Jurel made his debut for the Indian team last year against England, and in four Test matches, he has scored 202 runs at an average of 40.40, with one half-century. Along with that, it’s been a long time since Jurel had received an opportunity to play for the Indian team. Taking a look at his recent performances, he comes in as one of the best options for the team to keep the wickets.

It should also be noted that Dhruv Jurel was a part of the India A team for the unofficial Tests against England Lions. His performances in those tests also remained commendable, as he scored 227 runs in 2 matches with 3 half-centuries. Thus, Jurel holds some experience in the English pitches, which could help him to be a great addition to the team’s batting line-up.

The last Test match he played was between India and Australia at Perth, where India secured a historic win. But Jurel was not able to create an impact in this game, scoring just 11 and 1 runs respectively in both innings. With Pant being unavailable for the last Test match, it could be an opportunity for Dhruv Jurel to mark his spot in the Indian team.

Narayan Jagadeesan

Ishan Kishan was one of the primary choices for the Indian team and was also likely to be a part of the squad for the final Test. But according to some reports, Ishan Kishan has opted to stay out of the team selection, as he is suffering from an ankle injury. Not wanting any injury to affect his form shortly, Ishan also suggested that the BCCI look for some other options in the next game.

🚨 N JAGADEESAN TO JOIN TEAM INDIA FOR THE 5TH TEST VS ENGLAND. 🚨

– Ishan Kishan has informed selectors that he's struggling with an ankle injury. (Express Sports). pic.twitter.com/PP6ZIvli8W

— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) July 24, 2025

For this, BCCI has reportedly connected with Narayan Jagadeesan, who is yet another promising talent from the domestic format. Playing for Tamil Nadu in the Ranji Trophy, Jagadeesan has been among the key performers for the team across various seasons, creating an impact with both bat and gloves.

Having played in a whopping total of 52 First-class matches, Jagadeesan has scored 3373 runs at an average of 47.50. But what highlights his stats more is that he has scored 10 centuries and 14 half-centuries in just a few games, played for Tamil Nadu. With such impressive stats, the inclusion of Narayan Jagadeesan could be a bright opportunity for him to shine for the Indian team in the final Test.

Not only does he contribute with the bat, but he also holds a total of 133 catches and 14 stumpings in First-class cricket, which means that his impact behind the stumps can’t be denied. If the reports of his inclusion in the line-up for the final Test are true, it would be great for the Indian team to bring a versatile batsman like Jagadeesan.

Sanju Samson

Sanju Samson, who has been India’s primary wicket-keeper in the T20 format for the last year, could also be a great option for the team in the Test format. Although Samson has never been a part of the Test team, he holds a great record in the First-class format. In 65 matches, he has scored 3834 runs at an average of 39.12, with 11 centuries and 16 half-centuries.

Along with that, he has also never been a part of the India A team, but that doesn’t mean Samson doesn’t hold the power to play in the Test format. He has already played 16 ODIs and 42 T20Is for the team, and now looks for an opportunity to represent India in the whites.

With Rishabh Pant being out for the final Test, India could also bring in Sanju Samson to showcase his masterclass even in the Test format. He has not played against England in the longer formats of the game, and his stats against them in the limited-overs format have also not been good.

But he will be eager to prove himself in the biggest format of the game. A concern which remains for his selection in place of Rishabh Pant is that Samson has not been able to prove himself among the other wicket-keepers in the Test format. He has mainly been looked by the team in the limited overs format of the game.

KL Rahul

An interesting fact for the Indian team in the series against England is that there are already two wicket-keepers in the line-up. One is Rishabh Pant, who is now suffering from an injury, and the other is KL Rahul. He has been dominant with the bat for the Indian team in this series, smashing records as an opener.

His form remains outstanding, as several fans say that this is the KL Rahul 2.0 version in the current tour of England. In the Test format, he now holds 3632 runs in 61 matches at an average of 35.26, with 10 centuries and 18 half-centuries. While his Test numbers may not be as good as Rishabh Pant’s, his stats against England showcase his dominance.

Against England, KL Rahul has scored 1376 runs in 17 matches at an average of 44.38, with 5 centuries and just 3 half-centuries. And when he plays in England, his dominance grows even more, as he has a better average in England than in India. Having played 11 Tests in England, Rahul has scored 1035 runs in 13 matches at an average of 41.40, with 4 centuries and 2 half-centuries.

In the Test format, KL Rahul has played just two matches as the designated wicket-keeper of the team. He has managed to score 113 runs in those two games at an average of 37.66, which also includes a century. If the Indian team assigns KL Rahul as a wicket-keeper, they would also have an opportunity to bring in the other batsmen, such as Abhimanyu Easwaran, to the line-up and strengthen the squad for the final match.

Srikar Bharat

Srikar Bharat was one of the underrated gems of the Indian cricket team in the Test format, as he played when both KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant were unavailable to keep for the team. However, Bharat was unable to prove his worth to the Indian line-up, and eventually he was dropped from the team as soon as the senior players were made available.

Srikar has played a total of 7 Test matches and scored just 221 runs at an average of 20.09, with a high score of 44. Besides that, he has also taken 18 catches and one stumping, which showcases his impact with the gloves, which could be helpful for the Indian line-up. Although his stats in the limited Tests he has played may not be good, he still could get another chance for the team.

In the First-class format, Srikar Bharat has played a magnificent total of 105 matches and scored 5686 runs at an average of 36.44, including 10 centuries and 32 half-centuries. Now, if Srikar receives yet another opportunity to play for the Indian team, he will be eager to utilise it and dominate the English bowlers.

The last Test match Srikar Bharat played for India was also against England, where he managed to score 17 and 6 runs respectively in the home game. Now, if he gets a chance to play in the final Test and ends up scoring well, it would be the perfect comeback game for him. Playing in the domestic tournaments, he has given himself some time to improve his skills, which could help him be noticed by the selectors.

Still, the call remains with the selectors and BCCI on who to play in place of Rishabh Pant in the final Test match against England. If India can win the fourth Test, the last one would be a decider, and whichever player comes in would be ready for a high-stakes clash.