Pant likely out with fractured toe; India's injury list grows in Manchester

Business Standard

3 days ago

India's fourth Test campaign at Old Trafford suffered a massive setback ahead of Day 2, as wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant was ruled out for six weeks due to a fracture in his toe, according to BCCI sources quoted by media reports. The development all but confirms Pant's absence not just for the remainder of the ongoing Test, but also the fifth and final match at The Oval.
According to a BCCI source quoted by The Indian Express, the medical team is currently evaluating whether Pant can take a painkiller and return to bat later in the innings if required. However, he still requires support to walk, and the prospects of him batting again appear bleak.
The Indian team management has reportedly enquired about the possibility of sending Pant back in if needed, but the overall outlook remains grim.
Grimace, hobble, and a carted exit
The incident occurred in the 68th over of India's innings when Pant, batting confidently on 37, attempted a reverse sweep against seamer Chris Woakes. He missed the ball, which took an inside edge before thudding into his right toe. He fell to the ground almost immediately, clearly in visible agony, clutching his foot.
Physios rushed in as Pant lay flat, wincing and grimacing with a bloodied cut and a foot that had already begun to swell. He removed his gloves, hobbled off the field, and was eventually taken away on a medical cart. Ravindra Jadeja took the field in his place.
Former internationals Ricky Ponting and Michael Atherton, analysing the moment on Sky Sports, were quick to note the seriousness of the injury. 'He hardly put his foot on the ground. The immediate swelling was a worry for me. I've had a metatarsal injury myself… those are small, fragile bones,' said Ponting. 'The fact he couldn't put any weight on it, it doesn't look good at all.'
India's selection crisis escalates
India's injury list now reads like a medical chart. Pant joins Nitish Kumar Reddy (knee), Akash Deep (groin) and Arshdeep Singh (thumb) on the sidelines, leaving the team stretched thin ahead of a crucial phase in the series. With Pant ruled out of the fifth Test at The Oval (July 31–August 4), the selectors are expected to add Ishan Kishan to the squad.
Pant's departure left India one batter short, a hole that England may look to exploit when play resumes. At stumps on Day 1, India stood at 264 for 4, with Jadeja and Shardul Thakur having seen off the final phase after the loss of Sai Sudharsan.
'If he is out of the game… out of the series, then that's a massive blow to India,' said Michael Atherton. 'That 264 for four becomes 264 for five. With the new ball due, there is potential to knock India over reasonably swiftly tomorrow. But if he returns to bat, he could change the game.'
A series of bruises
This is the second time in the series that Pant has battled injury. He was already nursing a bruised left index finger sustained while keeping in the Lord's Test, and had only just returned to full duties. Now, with a toe fracture, India's talisman behind the stumps finds himself sidelined once more—leaving the team with tough decisions and little time.