India was dealt a setback in the current Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy with vice-captain and wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant being sidelined from the remaining Test matches against England. Rishabh Pant fractured his toe after inside-edging a reverse sweep onto his foot on Day 1 of the Manchester Test.
Scans revealed the injury, and doctors have recommended six weeks of rest. His absence contributes to India’s increasing list of injuries, which already has Akash Deep, Arshdeep Singh, and Nitish Kumar Reddy in it. Without Pant to bat, India will now conduct the rest of the match with only ten batters available.
Toe Injury Ends Pant’s Campaign
Rishabh Pant injured himself while batting on 37 off the 68th over. He was trying a reverse sweep against Chris Woakes and jammed the ball into his foot. It happened at once. He asked for the presence of the physio and was treated on the field, but was unable to carry on. He had to be lifted off the pitch in a golf-cart-like medical cart.
Following stumps on Day 1, Pant had scans at a nearby hospital. The tests revealed a toe fracture. “There is absolutely no possibility of him batting as he is in a lot of pain at the moment,” sources informed Hindustan Times. India captain Shubman Gill visited the medical room at Old Trafford personally to enquire about his teammate.
Dhruv Jurel Appointed Stand-in Keeper
Since Rishabh Pant is out, the squad has appointed Dhruv Jurel as the stand-in wicketkeeper. But since Jurel is replacing someone, he cannot bat. India will therefore have to make do with only ten batters for the next four days of the Test.
Pant’s crease was immediately occupied by Ravindra Jadeja. On Day 1, India reached 264/4 with Jadeja and Shardul Thakur steering the ship.
Injury Crisis Deepens for India
Rishabh Pant’s injury adds to India’s already developing fitness issues. Nitish Kumar Reddy has already been excluded from the series. Akash Deep and Arshdeep Singh were also certified as unfit for the Manchester Test.
With several first-team players out of action, India’s performance in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy is put through a significant test of depth and resilience.
Pant’s Form and Comeback Journey
Before this reverse, Rishabh Pant was among India’s most impressive performers in the series. He had hit two hundreds in the series opener at Headingley and made a gritty 74 at Lord’s despite fracturing his finger while keeping wickets.
His comeback to top-level cricket itself was a tale of grit and determination. Having been left badly injured in a car crash, Pant battled his way back. He initially made a comeback in the IPL for Delhi Capitals before returning to India’s T20 World Cup team. His Test comeback was in September 2024 against Bangladesh.
Now, with another injury stalling his momentum, the side will miss his firepower in the middle order. The absence of Pant is a big void. With India already lacking strength due to injuries, the task of facing a full-strength English team just became more difficult.
