The Indian cricket team has suffered a massive blow as vice-captain Rishabh Pant has been ruled out of the fifth and final Test against England at the Oval due to an injury.

Led by captain Shubman Gill, India will miss the services of their swashbuckling wicketkeeper-batter Pant after he suffered a fractured toe during the fourth Test in Manchester.

“Rishabh Pant, who sustained a fracture to his right foot during the fourth Test against England in Manchester, has been ruled out of the fifth and final Test of the series,” the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) said in a statement.

Pant retired hurt on 37 on the opening day of the Manchester Test after succumbing to an injury to his right foot while attempting a reverse sweep off England pacer Chris Woakes.

Despite the injury, the 27-year-old came out to bat to a standing ovation on Day 2 and later slammed a gritty half-century before being dismissed for 54. His fighting knock was laced with three fours and two sixes.

Pant was in brilliant form and is currently India's third-highest run-getter in the ongoing Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy. The southpaw amassed 479 runs in four Tests at an average of 68.43, with two centuries and three fifties.

“The BCCI Medical Team will continue to monitor his progress and the team wishes him a speedy recovery,” the Indian cricket board added.

Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu batter Narayan Jagadeesan has been announced as Pant’s replacement.

Since making his first-class debut in October 2016, Jagadeesan has scored 3,373 runs in 52 FC matches at an average of 47.50. The 29-year-old has registered 10 hundreds and 14 half-centuries.

With England leading the series 2-1, India will look to return to winning ways in the fifth and final Test at the Oval in London starting on July 31.

India’s updated squad for fifth Test: Shubman Gill (captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Karun Nair, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel (wicket-keeper), Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohd. Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Kuldeep Yadav, Anshul Kamboj, Arshdeep Singh, N Jagadeesan (wicket-keeper)

Image Courtesy: BCCI