Rishabh Pant Shines Despite Injury in Fourth Test Against England
Pant's Remarkable Performance at Old Trafford
New Delhi [India], July 25: Former Indian cricketer Ishant Sharma praised wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant for his impressive display on the second day of the fourth Test in the ongoing five-match series for the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2025, held at Old Trafford, Manchester.
Pant entered the field after Shardul Thakur was dismissed for 41, prompting the Manchester crowd to erupt in applause.
He scored 54 runs off 75 deliveries, featuring three fours and two sixes.
Commenting on Pant's performance despite a right foot injury, Ishant remarked, “This demonstrates his mental strength. If someone perseveres, they can achieve a comeback in life.”
Rishabh Pant continued to impress, breaking records while battling through pain.
He equaled the legendary Virender Sehwag's record for the most sixes hit by an Indian in Test cricket, both now having 90 sixes in the longest format.
Pant's fearless batting style places him at the top alongside Sehwag, with India’s captain Rohit Sharma trailing with 88 sixes, followed by MS Dhoni with 78 and Ravindra Jadeja with 74.
Additionally, Pant surpassed Rohit Sharma to become India's leading run-scorer in the World Test Championship (WTC) era, amassing 2731 runs in just 38 Test matches, which includes six centuries and sixteen fifties. Rohit has 2719 runs in the WTC.
Pant's achievement is particularly noteworthy given he returned to bat on Thursday despite a painful toe injury sustained on Day 1, making a significant contribution.
With his fifty in Manchester, Pant now has 14 scores of fifty or more, while Dhoni has thirteen. The left-handed batsman has six centuries and eight fifties to his name.
Ishant Sharma also discussed the young Indian seamers, Arshdeep Singh, Akash Deep, and Anshul Kamboj, who are currently on the England tour.
“There is no greater feeling than representing your country, performing well, and contributing to the team's success,” he added.
During the launch of Pickle Pros by Legaxy in collaboration with M3M, Ishant spoke about Pickleball, stating, “This initiative by the M3M foundation is fantastic. Pickleball is a new sport gaining popularity, resembling a smaller version of Lawn Tennis. It fosters team bonding and can be enjoyed with family, making it a great way to spend time.”