Narayan Jagadeesan, the Tamil Nadu wicketkeeper-batter, got a call on Thursday from a selector who told him he might be going to England as cover for the injured Rishabh Pant. He said he knew he was close to being picked since he was part of a group of targeted players.
The fifth Test of the five-match England series is from July 31 to August 4 at The Oval. Pant has a toe fracture. He might not play if India lose in Manchester. Initially, it was reported Ishan Kishan would be the cover for Pant but he’s also injured so Jagadeesan got the call.
“I got a call from the selector and he said, ‘You might get another call in an hour. So, be ready.’ After that I was waiting for the call. It was a very happy moment,” Jagadeesan told The Times of India.
“I always wanted to be in the Indian Test team. There’s something special about wearing the whites. I always wanted to be part of that, Jagadeesan said. He also said it wasn’t unexpected.
It might be a surprise to many but I’ve been in the targeted players’ list for the last two or three years. I was with all the other targeted players at the NCA all year and for the last two and a half years,” Jagadeesan said.
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“All of us wicketkeepers were there. I knew I was getting close. I just had to stay focused, work hard and stay in the present, Jagadeesan added.
He has scored 3373 runs in 52 first-class matches at an average of 47.5, including 10 centuries. Jagadeesan recently played for the Chepauk Super Gillies in the TNPL where he scored 81 off 41 balls in the second qualifier.
