Rishabh Pant Receives Heroic Welcome at Old Trafford Despite Injury

Rishabh Pant's Courageous Comeback

On July 24, during the second day of the fourth Test against England at Old Trafford, Rishabh Pant, the vice-captain of Team India, was greeted with enthusiastic applause from the crowd as he made his way to the crease, despite nursing a foot injury.

Pant sustained the injury on Day 1 while attempting a reverse sweep against England's Chris Woakes, resulting in a painful blow to his right foot. He required immediate medical assistance and was taken off the field in a buggy ambulance after retiring hurt with a score of 37 runs off 48 balls.

BCCI's Update on Pant's Condition

Following concerns about Pant's ability to continue in the match, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced that he would not be keeping wickets but would bat on Day 2 as needed by the team.

The BCCI confirmed that Dhruv Jurel would take over wicketkeeping duties for the remainder of the match, allowing Pant to focus on batting despite his injury.

Standing Ovation for Pant

As India resumed their innings at 264/4, Ravindra Jadeja and Shardul Thakur were at the crease. Jadeja was dismissed for 20 runs by Jofra Archer, bringing Shardul Thakur and Washington Sundar together for a vital 48-run partnership that pushed India past the 300-run mark.

When the crowd at Old Trafford saw Pant walking out to bat, they erupted in applause, giving him a standing ovation for his brave return to the field.

Injury Update and Future Participation

Reports earlier indicated that Pant had suffered a toe fracture, which would sideline him for six weeks, effectively ruling him out of the remaining matches in the series. A source from the BCCI mentioned that while the medical team was exploring options for him to bat using pain relief, his chances of playing were slim.

Despite the uncertainty surrounding his participation in the final Test at The Oval, the BCCI has yet to officially confirm his exclusion, leaving his status dependent on further medical evaluations.

Pant's Performance in the Series

Throughout the ongoing Test series against England, Rishabh Pant has been a standout performer, accumulating 462 runs in seven innings, which includes two centuries and two fifties, boasting an impressive average of 77.00.

In a previous match at Lord's, Pant had also faced injury but managed to contribute significantly with the bat, scoring 83 runs despite his condition.