India may be on the verge of welcoming back Ishan Kishan to the national Test fold, following an unfortunate injury to star wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant. Pant, who suffered a toe fracture while batting in the first innings at Old Trafford, has been ruled out of the fifth and final Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy at The Oval, starting July 31.
While the BCCI has not yet released an official update on Pant’s injury or recovery timeline, sources close to the team indicate that a replacement announcement is imminent — and Kishan has emerged as the frontrunner.
The 26-year-old wicketkeeper-batter from Jharkhand has quietly been working his way back into contention. After signing a short-term contract with Nottinghamshire, Kishan delivered two standout performances, scoring 87 and 77 against Yorkshire and Somerset, respectively. Despite those performances, he had returned home to India — but now finds himself potentially back in the frame.
Kishan’s comeback, if confirmed, would mark a turning point in his career. He last featured for India in a T20I against Australia in November 2023 but was sidelined for prioritizing personal breaks over domestic duties — a decision that led to disciplinary action from the BCCI, despite his earlier heroics, including a double century in ODIs.
Other names in the wicketkeeping conversation include KS Bharat, who is currently in England playing club cricket for Dulwich CC. Though he has Test experience in English conditions, he is not believed to be under active consideration this time around.
Dhruv Jurel, who is already part of the current squad, is expected to keep wickets for the remainder of the ongoing Old Trafford Test. KL Rahul, a seasoned campaigner who has donned the gloves in several white-ball tournaments — including the World Cup and Champions Trophy — also remains a backup option.
As India looks to close out the series on a high, Kishan’s inclusion could add firepower and balance to a team navigating both injury setbacks and selection dilemmas.
