Rishabh Pant Injury Update: Can India substitute Pant with Dhruv Jurel if he is unable to Play in this Match?

India's third Test against England at Lord's has taken an unexpected turn after Rishabh Pant, the team's vice-captain and wicketkeeper-batter, suffered a finger injury on Day 1.

Dhruv Jurel was introduced as the wicketkeeper and after Pant left the field, he was the custodian behind the stumps for the entirety on the first day. But on Friday, Jurel has continued to keep wickets, thus surfacing more doubt on Pant's availability.

IND vs ENG: What Happened to Rishabh Pant?

Pant injured his left index finger while attempting a diving stop to a wayward Jasprit Bumrah delivery in the 34th over. The impact left him in visible pain, forcing him to leave the field for treatment. Substitute wicketkeeper Dhruv Jurel was called in to take over the gloves for the remainder of the day, while Pant continued to receive medical attention on the sidelines. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) confirmed that Pant is under medical supervision and will not keep wickets on Day 2 as he recovers.

Why can't India substitute Rishabh Pant?

While cricket laws have evolved to allow for substitute wicketkeepers in case of injury, with the on-field umpires' approval substitutes are only permitted to keep wickets or field. They are not allowed to bat or bowl in place of the injured player. This means that while Dhruv Jurel can perform wicketkeeping duties, he cannot bat in Pant's place.

"In cricket, only concussion substitutes and COVID-19 replacements are allowed to bat or bowl in place of another player. Standard substitutes are limited to fielding roles only," the law says.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) recently announced a rule allowing full replacements for seriously injured players, but this only applies to domestic cricket for now, and will not take effect in international matches until at least October 2025. In Test cricket, a full substitute-who can bat, bowl, and field-is only allowed if a player suffers a concussion or tests positive for COVID-19 during the match.

What will happen if Pant can't Bat?

If Pant is unable to bat, India will have to play with only ten batters for the remainder of the Test. This is a significant blow, as Pant has been one of India's top performers in the series, both with the bat and behind the stumps.