Pant, who had been batting fluently and reached 37 off 48 balls, attempted a reverse sweep off England pacer Chris Woakes. However, he misjudged the line of the delivery and the ball struck him flush on the boot. The impact sent him immediately to the ground in visible pain
Rishabh Pant reacts as he is driven on a buggy out of the pitch following a foot injury while playing on day one of 4th Test (Pic: AFP)
India suffered a setback on the opening day of the fourth Test against England at Old Trafford as wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant was forced to retire hurt after taking a painful blow to his right foot. The freak incident occurred during the 68th over of India's innings and left Pant unable to stand, requiring assistance to leave the field.
Pant, who had been batting fluently and reached 37 off 48 balls, attempted a reverse sweep off England pacer Chris Woakes. However, he misjudged the line of the delivery and the ball struck him flush on the boot. The impact sent him immediately to the ground in visible pain.
Rishabh Pant's foot is bleeding and a lot of swelling as well. He is in a lot of pain. 🥺
— Tanuj (@ImTanujSingh) July 23, 2025
- Comeback strong, Champions! pic.twitter.com/4tAGcdLshG
Medical staff rushed onto the field as Pant lay writhing, clutching his foot. Despite an initial attempt to get back on his feet, he was unable to put any weight on his injured leg. After a few minutes of on-field assessment, the physios signaled for a golf cart, and Pant was eventually driven off the ground, retired hurt.
Rishabh Pant is driven off the field of play after suffering some severe swelling on his right foot and Ravindra Jadeja walks out to the middle... 🩹 pic.twitter.com/vJlu5CABQ8
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) July 23, 2025
The 27-year-old's injury comes just days after another physical setback during the third Test at Headingley, where he sustained a blow to his left index finger. The injury had limited his role behind the stumps, restricting him to just 35 overs of wicketkeeping in that match. With the finger injury still fresh, this fresh blow to his foot will raise further concerns about his availability for the remainder of the match and possibly the series.
Pant’s innings had injected momentum into India’s effort following a brief middle-order collapse. He looked in good touch, scoring freely before the unfortunate blow halted his progress. His exit left India in a cautious phase again, as they looked to rebuild the innings around Sai Sudharsan.
The atmosphere in the Indian camp turned noticeably tense following the injury, with team medical staff monitoring Pant’s condition closely. There has been no official update yet on the severity of the injury or whether he will be able to take further part in the match.
India had started the day well with a solid opening stand between KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal, but quick wickets in the second session saw the visitors lose momentum. Pant’s injury added to India’s worries as they look to level the series, currently trailing England 1-2.
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