Rishabh Pant's Remarkable Performance Despite Injury in Lord's Test

KL Rahul Discusses Rishabh Pant's Struggles

Indian opener KL Rahul shared insights about vice-captain Rishabh Pant's difficulties during the third day of the Test match at Lord's, revealing that Pant was experiencing significant pain while trying to grip his bat.

Injury Details from Day 1

On the first day, during the 34th over bowled by Jasprit Bumrah, Pant attempted to dive for a ball but failed to secure it, leading to England scoring two runs off byes. Following this incident, he was visibly in distress and required medical assistance, as reported by Sky Sports.

Dhruv Jurel Steps In

Young wicketkeeper Dhruv Jurel took over Pant's position in the second session of the first day after Pant left the field for treatment.

Painful Batting Experience

At the post-match press conference, Rahul elaborated on Pant's condition, stating, "He was in considerable pain gripping the bat. The impact from the ball creates a lot of friction, and he took a few hits on his gloves, which was unfortunate. He expressed frustration over missing several balls that he believed should have resulted in boundaries."

Rahul advised Pant to focus on the shots he could play effectively instead of dwelling on missed opportunities.

Record-Breaking Performance

Despite his injury, Pant made a significant impact on Day 3 of the Test, achieving remarkable records at the iconic Lord's. He surpassed the legendary Vivian Richards for the most sixes hit in Tests against England, and matched Rohit Sharma's record for the second-highest number of sixes by an Indian in Test cricket.

Milestones Achieved

In addition to his six-hitting prowess, the 27-year-old surpassed MS Dhoni to become the Indian wicketkeeper-batter with the highest runs scored during a tour of England. He also became the first visiting wicketkeeper to score over 400 runs in a single Test series in England.

Despite sustaining a finger injury on the first day, Pant showcased resilience, scoring 74 runs off 112 balls, including two sixes that helped him break Richards' record.

Pant's Impressive Statistics

Pant has now hit 35 sixes against England, surpassing Richards' previous record of 34. He is also close to matching Rohit Sharma's tally of 88 sixes in Test cricket, having achieved this in just 46 matches, significantly fewer than Rohit's 67.

Currently, Pant has accumulated 416 runs in three Tests, marking the highest runs by an Indian wicketkeeper on English soil, breaking Dhoni's long-standing record of 349 runs from the 2014 tour.

Unfortunate Run Out

Pant's innings came to an end just before the first session concluded when he attempted a quick single but was caught short by England's captain Ben Stokes, who executed a precise throw to the stumps, resulting in Pant's dismissal at 74 runs.