(Image source from: x.com/BCCI)
India's wicket-keeper batsman Rishabh Pant will be sidelined for an extended period after getting hurt on the first day of the fourth Test against England in Manchester. Pant needed to be taken off the field in a golf cart after hurting his foot while attempting to reverse sweep a delivery from England bowler Chris Woakes. Sources indicate that the wicket-keeper has been told to rest for six weeks, which means he will miss the current fourth Test and the final match of the series. It has also been revealed that Pant has a fracture that will keep him out for six weeks. "He is out for the next six weeks. A replacement will be called in, and it will probably be Ishan Kishan," a BCCI source said. Consequently, Dhruv Jurel will take over the wicket-keeping duties in Pant's absence for the rest of the Manchester Test. However, Jurel will not be able to bat in this match, leaving Team India one batter short.
For the fifth Test against England at the Kennington Oval, Ishan Kishan is reportedly being considered as a replacement for Jurel. The final match of the series is set to take place from July 31 to August 04. With players like Nitish Kumar Reddy, Akash Deep, and Arshdeep Singh already dealing with injuries, the team's balance has been significantly affected. Ricky Ponting, who coached Rishabh Pant at the Delhi Capitals in the Indian Premier League, had anticipated a fracture when Pant was taken off the field on Wednesday. "He (Pant) barely put his foot on the ground. The immediate swelling was concerning for me. I’ve experienced a metatarsal injury myself, and they are small, delicate bones. The fact that he couldn’t bear any weight on it doesn’t look good at all," Ponting mentioned on Sky Sports. Former England player Michael Atherton also feared that Pant's starting days were over after the incident on Day one.
"If he is out for the match... if he’s out for the series, then that’s a huge setback for India and alters the circumstances significantly. That score of 264 for four becomes 264 for five, and with the new ball approaching, there’s a chance to dismiss India quickly the following day. But if he manages to bat, he might change the outcome. So there’s an uncertainty that we can't predict. But it appeared to be a serious injury since you don’t get taken off like that otherwise," former England captain and commentator Michael Atherton stated.
