Wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant suffered a foot injury on Day 1 of the fourth India-England Test, which was played at Old Trafford in Manchester from July 23 to 27. Due to the injury, which he suffered while playing a reverse sweep shot off Chris Woakes’ bowling, Pant didn’t keep in the Manchester Test and was ruled out of the fifth Test, which was played at The Oval from July 31 to August 4.
It was reported last month that Pant will remain out of action for at least six weeks, but according to a report in the Times of India on Thursday (August 7), the 27-year-old wicketkeeper-batter, who last played a T20I for India against Sri Lanka in Pallekele on July 28, 2024, will miss the 2025 edition of the Asia Cup, and he also remains doubtful for the two-match Test series against the West Indies.
The Asia Cup 2025 will be played from September 9 to 28 in the UAE, whereas the two-match Test series between India and the West Indies is scheduled to take place between October 2 and 14 in Ahmedabad and Delhi.
“Wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant won’t require surgery after a toe fracture during the fourth Test in Manchester. However, Pant has been ruled out of action for at least six weeks. He will miss the Asia Cup and possibly the West Indies series,” the TOI report read.
The Indian team won’t miss Pant’s presence in the Asia Cup 2025 because he isn’t India’s first-choice wicketkeeper-batter in white-ball cricket, but his absence will be a big setback for India in the two Tests against the West Indies.
Before getting ruled out of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, Pant played four matches and, with the help of two centuries and three fifties, scored a total of 479 runs.
In Pant’s absence, Dhruv Jurel got a chance to play in the fifth Test at The Oval from July 31 to August 4, and if Pant misses out, then the Agra-based cricketer will be India’s wicketkeeper-batter in the West Indies series as well.
