Rishabh Pant fuera de la serie: Gautam Gambhir confirma

India head coach Gautam Gambhir has confirmed that India’s vice-captain Rishabh Pant has been ruled out of the IND vs ENG Test series with a fractured toe. But Gambhir also reserved the highest praise for Pant, who scored a valiant 54, coming to bat again after retiring hurt. Dhurv Jurel is all set to come in place of him at Oval for the fifth and final Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy.

“Rishabh Pant is out of the series. Any amount of praise is not enough for him, to bat with a broken foot. Not many people have done that in the past. That is why generations should talk about it, and future generations should also talk about it. It’s unfortunate because of the kind of form he was in. I hope he recovers and comes back quickly. He is a very important member of the Tets side,” Gautam Gambhir confirmed at the post-match press conference after the IND vs ENG Manchester Test ended in a draw.

Who comes in for Rishabh Pant?

With the final IND vs ENG 5th Test starting on July 31, the quick turnaround won’t favour Rishabh Pant to make a full recovery. Hence, India will need to call up the second-choice keeper Dhruv Jurel, who has already kept wickets for nearly 250 overs in the last two Tests combined. Jurle kept wickets in the Lord’s Test after Pant suffered a finger injury. At Old Trafford, Jurel again stepped up as Pant had to be sidelined with a broken foot.

Now, Jurel will get a full Test match as a keeper-batter in London. India have also added Narayan Jagadeesan for the Oval Test as a backup. However, Jurel will be the first-choice keeper-batter in Pant’s absence.

India are 1-2 down in the five-match IND vs ENG Test series after the Manchester Test ended in a draw. With Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar hitting centuries to add an unbeaten 202-run stand, England offered to shake hands. But India played on for Jadeja and Sundar to complete their centuries. Gambhir backed the decision, saying the two deserved the tons.

“If someone is batting on 90 or 85, won’t you allow them to score a hundred? Both those guys deserved hundreds and fortunately, they got it,” Gautam Gambhir said.