Rishabh Pant is back on the move—literally—and will spend the next fortnight at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru, easing his way into cricket skills after two months on the sidelines with a fractured right foot.
The cast is off, the limp is gone
ESPNcricinfo understands Pant is “walking comfortably now”, a small but significant step for India’s first-choice Test wicketkeeper-batter. The right-hander damaged a metatarsal at Old Trafford in July when a reverse-sweep off Chris Woakes ricocheted onto his foot. He was 37 at the time, retired hurt, then returned next morning—still in a moon-boot when he arrived—to complete a punchy 54.
“Rishabh’s pain threshold is ridiculous,” a support-staff member told this writer last week. “But even he knew a few weeks of patience were non-negotiable.”
What happens next
India’s next World Test Championship assignment is a two-match home series against West Indies (Ahmedabad, 2-6 Oct; Delhi, 10-14 Oct). Selectors meet late September. If Pant comes through light keeping drills in Bengaluru, he should slot straight back in. If not, Dhruv Jurel—who kept through the Old Trafford and Oval Tests—stays favourite. N Jagadeesan, flown in as cover during the England tour, also remains in the picture.
The medical view
The National Cricket Academy’s latest assessment reads: “Pant has shown satisfactory union at the fracture site and will commence graduated skill work under supervision.” No dates are mentioned publicly, but insiders say he may try mitt work by the end of next week.
The context
India drew the England series 2-2 without him, but only after Shubman Gill, Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar produced rearguard hundreds at The Oval. Those innings masked just how much the side missed Pant’s keeping and counter-attack. Head coach Rahul Dravid admitted as much at the time: “You don’t replace a player of that calibre overnight.”
Selection puzzle
Should Pant miss the Windies series, India must again pick between a specialist keeper in Jurel and the slightly stronger bat in Jagadeesan. Either way, the balance of a side already juggling three all-rounders becomes tricky.
Pant, for his part, is keeping expectations realistic. Speaking to local media last weekend, he said: “I’ve ticked the first box—walking pain-free. Now I’ll tick a few more and see where I land.”
For Indian fans—and, frankly, for a coaching staff keen to settle their line-up—that landing can’t come soon enough.
