India faced a worrying moment on Day 1 of the Lord’s Test when wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant suffered a painful blow to his left index finger while collecting a delivery from Jasprit Bumrah down the leg side. The incident occurred in the 34th over of England’s innings and led to a lengthy pause in play as Pant received on-field treatment. Despite attempting to continue, the discomfort proved too much, and he walked off at the end of the over, prompting India to bring in Dhruv Jurel as a substitute keeper.

Under the updated rules since 2017, a substitute wicketkeeper is allowed in case of injury, but cannot bat unless the replacement is due to concussion. This means if Pant is unable to return, India will be a batter short for the remainder of the match. Pant’s absence is significant not only is he India’s vice-captain, but he’s also their second-highest run-scorer in Tests since his debut. His twin centuries at Headingley earlier in the series made him the first wicketkeeper since Andy Flower to achieve that feat.

Jurel, who had impressed during his debut series in 2023–24 with an average of 63.33, stepped in confidently. He had previously played one Test in Australia as a specialist batter, scoring 12 runs across two innings. His sharp reflexes were on display again at Lord’s, especially with a fine catch to dismiss Ollie Pope off Ravindra Jadeja’s bowling.

At the time of Pant’s injury, England were 93 for 2, with Joe Root and Ollie Pope at the crease. Ben Stokes had chosen to bat first a rare move in the Bazball era and England’s scoring rate of 3.02 runs per over marked their slowest full-day rate since adopting the aggressive style under Brendon McCullum.

With the series tied 1–1 after wins in Leeds and Birmingham, the third Test at Lord’s carries high stakes. A long break is scheduled before the fourth Test, giving Pant time to recover, but his status remains uncertain. The BCCI confirmed he is under medical supervision, and further updates are expected before Day 2 begins.