Rishabh Pant is almost certain to miss the rest of the Old Trafford Test after scans on Wednesday night confirmed a fracture in his right foot. The India wicketkeeper-batter, who had to retire hurt on 37, will not take the gloves again in this match; whether he can bat later will be decided by the team management in consultation with the BCCI’s medical staff.
A brief BCCI update on Thursday morning stated: “Pant will not keep wicket for the remainder of the Test. His progress will be monitored and a call on his batting will be taken as the match develops.” No time-line for recovery has been offered, but fractures of this sort usually require several weeks of rest.
How it happened
The injury occurred during the afternoon session on day one. Attempting a reverse sweep off Chris Woakes, Pant inside-edged the ball into the instep of his front (right) foot. He grimaced immediately, the area swelling in minutes. After on-field treatment he limped off on a golf buggy, accompanied by India physio Kamlesh Jain.
Medical view
Former India team doctor Dr Nitin Patel, speaking generally about such injuries, said: “An impact fracture on the metatarsal can be tricky. Players often feel they can carry on, but weight transfer in batting and wicket-keeping puts extra stress on that spot.” While Patel is not involved with the current squad, his assessment underlines India’s dilemma: risk aggravating the injury or play effectively one batter short.
Tactical consequences
With Pant sidelined, KS Bharat took the gloves for England’s first innings. Bharat is an accomplished keeper but offers a more restrained batting style at No. 7. Captain Rohit Sharma hinted at a flexible order should Pant remain out. “We’ll see how the game unfolds,” he said during the television interval. “The physios are working with him; we don’t want to rush.”
England, already pleased to have limited India to 256 for 5 at stumps, will sense an opening. “If Pant can’t return, it’s a big loss for them. He’s the game-changer,” former England captain Alastair Cook told BBC Test Match Special.
Bigger picture
India lead the five-match series 2-1 but have relied heavily on Pant’s counter-attacking runs and sharp keeping. A prolonged absence would complicate their World Test Championship campaign and preparations for the ensuing white-ball leg.
For now, the focus remains on day two. Pant watched the closing overs from the dressing-room balcony, protective boot on, offering a thumbs-up to team-mates. Whether the crowd sees more of his batting flair this week rests as much with the scans as with the scoreboard.
