IND vs ENG: Who is N Jagadeesan? Meet the Tamil Nadu Player Who Replaces Rishabh Pant in 5th Test
Tamil Nadu's N Jagadeesan is likely to replace injured Rishabh Pant for the 5th Test against England.
India’s wicketkeeper crisis has forced the selectors to look beyond the regular names, and now Tamil Nadu’s N Jagadeesan is almost confirmed to join the squad for the 5th and final Test against England.
Pant, who got ruled out of the series with a fractured toe, left a big gap. While fans expected Ishan Kishan to be called up, he is unavailable. That’s where Jagadeesan comes in. The Tamil Nadu batter is likely to fly to England soon. The final Test will be played from July 31 to August 4 at The Oval.
Solid domestic record
Jagadeesan, 29, has been a consistent performer in domestic cricket. In 52 First-Class matches, he has scored over 2500 runs at an average of 47. His highest score is a massive 321.
In List A cricket, he has done even better. He averages 46 and holds the world record for the highest individual score in a 50-over game, 277 runs against Arunachal Pradesh during the 2022 Vijay Hazare Trophy.
He has also played in the IPL for Chennai Super Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders, though he didn’t get many chances. But in domestic cricket, he’s been in great form. In January 2024, he smashed 245* in a Ranji Trophy game, reminding every one of his quality.
Jagadeesan also has safe hands behind the stumps. He has taken over 130 catches and has 14 stumpings in red-ball cricket.
If confirmed, Jagadeesan will not just be a backup. He could very well make his Test debut in a crucial game, with the series hanging in the balance.
