Rishabh Pant’s recovery to take longer, wicketkeeper set to miss Test series against West Indies: Report

Star Indian wicketkeeper batter Rishabh Pant will not be available for India’s upcoming Test series against the West Indies, still recovering from a fracture sustained during India’s tour of England earlier this year. The 27-year-old missed India’s last match in that series after being struck in the foot, and will require time off as he rehabs at the BCCI’s Centre for Excellence in Bengaluru.

Pant is still undertaking strength and conditioning training in Bengaluru, as per an ESPNcricinfo report, and still hasn’t begun work on wicketkeeping and batting. As a result, his schedule for a return to the Indian team remains unclear. With him set to miss the series against the West Indies, which begins on October 2 in Ahmedabad, an eye might be on to have him fit and ready to return for November’s two-match series against South Africa instead.

Reports at the time suggested Pant would require six weeks of rest before he could begin his recovery: those six weeks would have drawn to a close at the start of September, but the October Tests to begin the Indian home season have proven to be a series too soon for the recovering wicketkeeper.

Who are India’s alternatives for Pant?

Pant will likely be deputised by Dhruv Jurel, who stepped in with the gloves after Pant injured his hand during the third Test at Lord’s, then once again when he fractured his foot during the fourth Test at Old Trafford. He then entered the playing XI for India’s famous victory at the Oval for the fifth and final Test, in which Narayan Jagadeesan joined the squad as backup wicketkeeper.

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A similar combination is expected for the series against the Windies, with Jurel also taking over captaincy duties during the ongoing red-ball series between India A and Australia A after Shreyas Iyer pulled out of the squad. Jagadeesan has also been involved in that series, playing well opening the batting, and also splitting time behind the stumps after Jurel scored 140 in the first match in Lucknow.

Another option at India’s disposal will be to name Jurel and KL Rahul as their wicketkeeping options, although Rahul’s role as an opening batter means he is not the preferred option to take up the high-endurance responsibility of keeping wickets.

Ajit Agarkar and the committee of selectors will announce India’s squad for the series against the West Indies on September 25.