Who Is Narayan Jagadeesan? Replaces Injured Rishabh Pant for Fifth Test Against England
On the evening of July 27, 2025, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced a late, high-stakes twist in the ongoing England-India Test series: Tamil Nadu’s Narayan Jagadeesan would join the Indian squad at The Oval for the decisive fifth Test, stepping in for Rishabh Pant, who was ruled out after fracturing his right foot at Old Trafford.
For Jagadeesan—a name synonymous with domestic consistency and a hunger for big runs—this long-awaited test spot is both reward and responsibility.
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Born in Coimbatore in December 1995, Jagadeesan’s rise has been shaped by both patience and prolific scoring. Originally making his first-class debut for Tamil Nadu during the 2016–17 Ranji Trophy, where he announced himself with an unbeaten 123, he was quickly earmarked as a future India prospect.
Over the subsequent years, the right-handed wicketkeeper-batter became a pillar for Tamil Nadu across formats. His undoubted highlight arrived in the 2022–23 Vijay Hazare Trophy, when he blazed a world-record 277 against Arunachal Pradesh, the highest individual score in List A cricket—surpassing a mark that had stood for two decades.
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Statistics only begin to tell the story: as of July 2025, Jagadeesan boasts 3,373 runs from 52 first-class matches (average 47.50, 10 hundreds, 14 fifties), and his supremacy across two consecutive Ranji Trophy seasons is hard to ignore; 816 runs at an average of 74.18 in 2023–24, followed by 674 runs at 56.16 in 2024–25.
His adaptability—opening the innings in four-day cricket but comfortable flexing his batting position—has made him invaluable at the domestic level and a proven wicketkeeper to boot.
Jagadeesan’s call-up came dramatically. News of Pant’s injury broke soon after the draw at Old Trafford, with the Indian management pressed to find an experienced, in-form wicketkeeper-batter, especially with Ishan Kishan unavailable due to an ankle problem.
Despite not touring with the shadow India A squad that went to England earlier in the summer, Jagadeesan’s productivity and temperament saw him leapfrog rivals. Only after a tense wait while visa formalities were completed did word reach him on Sunday: pack for London, you’re needed for Team India.
The challenge ahead is considerable. India face a fired-up England side with the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy on the line, trailing the series 1-2. While team insiders indicate Dhruv Jurel is expected to retain wicketkeeping duties, Jagadeesan’s form makes him a strong contender for a place in the XI—if not behind the stumps, then as a specialist batter.
