India's wicket-keeper-batter Rishabh Pant is all set to miss the ACC Men's Asia Cup 2025 and the home Test series against the West Indies.
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The Men's Asia Cup will be back in the T20I format this year and will be played from September 9, 2025, while the West Indies home series will consist of two Tests starting from October 2.
Rishabh Pant to miss the Asia Cup and Tests vs West Indies
India's red ball vice-captain Pant suffered a fractured toe during India's fourth Test against England at Old Trafford in Manchester. He was attempting to reverse-sweep a full-length ball from Chris Woakes when he got hit on the right toe and was taken for scans, which revealed a fracture.
The wicket-keeper has been advised to take at least six weeks of rest and is all but ruled out of the Asia Cup and would probably miss the home Test series against the West Indies as well, according to the Times of India report. However, no surgery is required for Pant's injury.
Who will replace Pant? Possible replacements
Rishabh Pant wasn't part of India's T20I setup when the side last played against England in January-February this year. Sanju Samson and Dhruv Jurel were the two wicket-keeper-batters then, and the duo are expected to continue for the Asia Cup in Pant's absence.
The bigger challenge for India will arise if Pant is forced to miss the home Test series against the West Indies. India is scheduled to play two Tests, starting from October 2nd, which is still nearly two months away.
With Pant requiring six months of rest, which will be followed by rehab, his participation in the series seems unlikely. In such a case, Jurel would potentially be India's first-choice wicket-keeper, while the side will look for possible backup wicket-keeping options.
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N Jagadeesan was drafted into the Indian squad for the 5th India vs England Test, in the absence of Pant, while Ishan Kishan was also being looked at as a possible replacement, but missed out due to an injury
It would be interesting to see which one of the two the management decides to go ahead with, if Pant misses the series against the West Indies,