India were forced into an unscripted change of wicketkeeper at Lord’s after Rishabh Pant took a painful blow to the index finger of his left hand midway through the afternoon session on day one. The incident occurred in the 34th over when a Jasprit Bumrah delivery drifted down the leg side and Pant, moving sharply to his left, was struck as the ball deflected awkwardly off the pitch. He received immediate on-field treatment but, grimacing, completed the over before walking off.
Under the playing conditions introduced in 2017, a specialist keeper may be substituted, though the replacement cannot bat. With that in mind India summoned Dhruv Jurel, who warmed up hurriedly and took the gloves for the remainder of the day.
Pant’s absence is significant. Since his debut in 2018 he is India’s second-highest Test run-scorer, noted for counter-attacking hundreds such as the pair he made at Headingley earlier in the summer – an achievement last managed by Andy Flower. Losing that calibre of batting leaves a sizeable hole, and head coach Rahul Dravid conceded as much in a brief TV interview: “Rishabh’s a key player for us. We’ll see how the swelling settles overnight and take a call tomorrow.”
Jurel, 24, impressed when filling in during Pant’s long rehabilitation from his 2024 car accident, averaging 63.33 in his maiden series. Since Pant’s return he has appeared only once, as a specialist batter in Australia, making 12 runs across two innings. Yet former India keeper Dinesh Karthik told Sky Sports the youngster is “organised and unfazed – exactly what you need when you’re thrown the gloves at Lord’s.”
At the time of the injury England were 93 for 2, Joe Root and Ollie Pope negotiated a cautious passage that contrasted with the free-scoring style associated with the Bazball era. Ben Stokes had surprised many by choosing to bat first for only the second time at home since 2022, a decision former captain Nasser Hussain described as “a nod to a surface offering more than first meets the eye.”
The five-match series is level at 1-1 following England’s win in Leeds and India’s response in Birmingham. A lengthy gap separates the third and fourth Tests, giving India breathing space should Pant require recovery time, but immediate clarity on his participation in this match remains pending. The BCCI medical team confirmed it would “monitor the injury and provide updates as available,” leaving Jurel to continue in the role for now.
