Who is N Jagadeesan replacing Rishabh Pant in squad for 5th ENG vs IND Test series?

Rishabh Pant came to bat on Day 2 at Old Trafford with an injured right foot. Reports suggested, with that fractured foot, the vice captain of India's Test team is ruled out from the 5th and the last match of the ongoing Anderson-Tendulkar trophy. But the formal announcement regarding this has yet to come.

In a recent report, published by Cricbuzz, it is claimed that not Ishan Kishan or KS Bharat, but Narayan Jagadeesan is all set to join Team India for the remaining game of the series. The board and the management inquired about Ishan Kishan, but he is not available, the report claimed. KS Bharat, another keeper batter who has experience playing for India and currently is in England for Dulwich CC, was not considered. After looking at several options for a suitable replacement for Rishabh Pant, the Indian team management finally decided to call up N. Jagadeesan, a keeper batter from Tamil Nadu.

"The right-handed keeper batter from Tamil Nadu is almost certain to be added to the squad. An announcement is expected soon," the report suggested. The 29-year-old is expected to join Team India in England ahead of the 5th Test.

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Impressive performer in domestic cricket 

Jagadeesan's domestic batting stats are incredible. In 52 first-class matches, he has 3373 runs at a healthy average of 47.50 with 14 half-centuries and 10 centuries. In the previous Ranji Trophy season, he piled up 674 runs in eight matches at an impressive average of 56.16, with two hundreds and five fifties. In the Ranji Trophy 2023-24, Jagadeesan scored 816 runs at an average of 74.18, including a triple and a double century. 

India has been struggling with injury from the 3rd Test of the series. In that Test match, Pant injured his finger. Then reports came about the injuries of Arshdeep Singh, Akash Deep, and Nitish Kumar Reddy. Pant now fractured his foot, Arshdeep has an injury in his finger, Reddy sustained a knee injury, and Akash has a groin injury.