India's wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant is set to miss the two-match home Test series against West Indies next month after failing to recover from his injury.
The Ajit Agarkar-led selection panel will meet on Wednesday, September 24, to pick the 15-member India squad -- two fewer than the squad for the 3-0 series defeat against New Zealand in October last year, according to a report in ESPNCricinfo.
Pant, who served as Shubman Gill's deputy during the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy in England, suffered a fractured left foot on the opening day of the fourth Test in Manchester in July.
Tamil Nadu's N Jagadeesan was named as Pant's replacement in the squad
Pant has been undergoing strength and conditioning. He is awaiting further updates from the BCCI medical team before he can resume batting and keeping. As of now, there is no firm timeline drawn for his return to on-field action. After the West Indies series, India will travel to Australia for a white-ball series, which will commence on October 19, the ESPNCricinfo report further added.
In Pant's absence, Dhruv Jurel is expected to keep the wickets for India against the West Indies to be played in Ahmedabad (October 2-6) and Delhi (October 10-14).
He took over the gloves for India's last two Tests against England. Jurel is currently a part of the India A squad for the multi-day game against Australia A in Lucknow. Jagadeesan, who opened for India A, swapped wicketkeeping duties with Jurel, and could be selected as the back-up if the selectors opt to choose a second specialist wicketkeeper.
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