Rishabh Pant is second leading run-getter of the ongoing Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy.
Indian cricket team’s assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate provided the latest Rishabh Pant injury update with fitness concerns around him ahead of the fourth Test against England at Old Trafford in Manchester.
Pant didn’t take the field in the major part of the first innings and the entire second innings during the third Test at Lord’s. The wicket-keeper was visibly in too much pain and discomfort, leaving the field for medical attention. Dhruv Jurel donned the gloves for India while he left for treatment. While Pant batted in both innings for India, his participation in the Manchester Test remained doubtful. Pant is the second leading run-getter after Indian skipper Shubman Gill in the ongoing Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2025.
Ten Doeschate noted that the 27-year-old wicket-keeper might play as a specialist batter in the fourth Test following his batting brilliance despite his injury at Lord’s. The wicketkeeper-batter amassed a half-century despite struggling with his injury. He displayed great resilience during his 112-ball stay in the first innings, smashing eight fours and two sixes.
“But he rested today, was trying to give the finger as long as possible, and hopefully, he’s good to go in Manchester in the first session. He is in the equation, but I mean if he’s fit, he plays the next Test and does both,” ten Doeschate said at the press conference.
The Indian coach said that wicket-keeping is the last part of the process of his recovery. The team management and medical will make sure that Pant can keep. He clarified that the Indian cricket team did not want to replace the keeper halfway through an innings. He observed that they would look for Pant’s complete recovery. He is, in all likelihood, set to regain his fitness for the penultimate Test.
“He will bat in Manchester before the Test. I don’t think you’re gonna keep Rishabh out of the Test no matter what. He batted with quite a lot of pain in the 3rd Test, and it’s only going to get easier on his finger,” ten Doeschate said at the press conference, giving the latest Rishabh Pant injury update.
“But he rested today, was trying to give the finger as long as possible, and hopefully, he’s good to go in Manchester in the first session. He is in the equation, but I mean if he’s fit, he plays the next Test and does both,” ten Doeschate added.
With two sixes in the first innings, Pant (36) broke West Indies legend Sir Viv Richards’ (34) milestone for most sixes against England in the longest format. Additionally, the southpaw equalled Dhoni for the most fifty-plus scores (13) by an Indian wicket-keeper in SENA (South Africa, England, New Zealand, and Australia) countries. The 27-year-old has smashed the second-most sixes, equalling former India captain Rohit Sharma’s tally of 88 sixes. He is just two sixes behind Virender Sehwag’s all-time India record of 90 maximums in Test cricket.
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A loss in Headingley was followed by a stunning outing at Edgbaston, but the Lord’s Test saw India faltering at crunch moments. In reply to a 193-run target, the Shubman Gill-led side fell 22 runs short. The team’s grit and courage have been admirable, but the margin for error is now minimal.
With the series on the line, head coach Gautam Gambhir and the team management might opt for potential changes for the Manchester Test. Pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah’s return in the Lord’s Test bolstered the bowling attack, and he is expected to lead the pace unit again. However, changes are anticipated in the batting and all-round departments.
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