Rishabh Pant isn’t playing in this year’s tournament, and he doesn’t need to. He just became the first Indian batter to reach 100 Test sixes in Galle, cementing his grip on the gloves. What the domestic knockout actually settles is who stands behind him: Ishan Kishan, captaining East Zone, and N Jagadeesan of South Zone are the two genuine candidates fighting for recognition. Dhruv Jurel, the incumbent backup, isn’t part of the tournament either, leaving this as the clearest audition either man will get all year.
An Absence That Still Matters
India’s wicketkeeper isn’t walking out for any of the six zonal sides when the Duleep Trophy begins at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru. He was busy setting records in Sri Lanka instead, becoming India’s all-time leading WTC run-scorer with 2,885 runs and passing Shubman Gill along the way.
That doesn’t make the tournament irrelevant to him. He lost his ODI squad spot and the Test vice-captaincy back in May, with KL Rahul stepping into the deputy role instead. The gloves are safe. The margin around them isn’t as wide as it used to be.
Pant’s numbers this year make it clear why the position isn’t really open. He is averaging close to 44 in Tests for his career and posted 186 runs in three innings against Sri Lanka, numbers that keep every selection conversation short.
A Crowded Field Chasing The Gloves
Dhruv Jurel remains the first name selectors reach for when the senior keeper is unavailable. He led India A to a series win over Sri Lanka A in June and July, scoring 141 not out and 53 in his two four-day games, and carries a first-class average of 55.22 from 36 matches.
Neither he nor the man ahead of him is playing in this tournament, which is exactly why it carries weight. Every zonal keeper on show is auditioning for a job that two better players currently hold down.
Jurel’s role has shifted a little too. In the Sri Lanka Tests, he played as a specialist batter at No. 6 rather than behind the stumps, averaging 35.27 across 11 Tests in that wider body of work. The gloves stayed with Pant throughout.
Duleep Trophy 2026 Rishabh Pant Wicketkeeper
Four names define the competition for the gloves right now, ranging from the certainty at the top to the uncapped hopefuls furthest from a Test debut. Each brings a different case, and none of them overlaps with another.
Wicketkeeper | Zone | FC/Test Average | Test Caps |
|---|---|---|---|
Rishabh Pant | Delhi | Test average ~44 | 41 |
Dhruv Jurel | Uttar Pradesh | FC avg 55.22, Test avg 35.27 | 5 |
Ishan Kishan | East Zone captain | Limited recent FC form | 2 |
N Jagadeesan | South Zone | Solid Tamil Nadu FC record | 0 |
Ishan Kishan captains East Zone with Kumar Kushagra as his understudy, and he needs this tournament more than anyone else on the list. He lost his BCCI central contract after a long stretch away from red-ball cricket, and a strong knockout run is close to his only route back.
Kishan And Jagadeesan Make Their Case
Kishan’s path back runs entirely through volume. A string of substantial contributions against quality bowling would revive a case that has gone quiet since his central contract lapsed, and it would do so at a moment when the selectors are watching closely.
N Jagadeesan offers a different profile. The South Zone gloveman already has senior experience, having deputised in the fifth Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy Test at The Oval in 2025 when the first-choice keeper was unavailable. That makes him the emergency option selectors already trust, even without a Test cap to his name.
Ricky Bhui, South Zone’s vice-captain, and North Zone captain Kanhaiya Wadhawan sit further down the list. Both are longer-term domestic prospects rather than players with any immediate Test case, but a big knockout campaign never hurts when selectors are taking notes.
The Backup Race Still Wide Open
Nothing about this tournament changes who keeps wicket for India right now. Ajit Agarkar’s panel has backed the incumbent through injury and recovery since 2022, and nothing in Bengaluru alters that trust.
What the Duleep Trophy 2026 Rishabh Pant wicketkeeper storyline really tests is the gap behind him. A big tournament from Kishan would close the distance to Jurel fast, while a quiet one leaves the pecking order exactly where it already sits.
Who do you think forces their way into India’s Test squad first, Kishan or Jagadeesan? Let us know below.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Is Rishabh Pant playing in this year’s domestic tournament?
No, Pant is not part of any of the six zonal squads this year. He was finishing India’s Test series in Sri Lanka the week the tournament began on August 23.
Who is competing to be India’s backup wicketkeeper?
Dhruv Jurel holds the backup role, with Ishan Kishan chasing him. Jurel averages 55.22 in first-class cricket, while Kishan is using this tournament to rebuild his case after losing his central contract.
What did Rishabh Pant achieve in the Galle Test against Sri Lanka?
Pant became the first Indian batter to hit 100 Test sixes. He also passed Shubman Gill to become India’s all-time leading WTC run-scorer with 2,885 runs.
Why did Rishabh Pant lose the Test vice-captaincy?
Pant was replaced as Test vice-captain by KL Rahul in May 2026. He also lost his place in India’s ODI squad around the same time, though his Test spot behind the stumps was never in question.
Has N Jagadeesan played for India’s senior Test team before?
Not officially, but he has already deputised at Test level. He kept wicket as an emergency replacement in the fifth Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy Test at The Oval in 2025.