Watch: Rishabh Pant walks out to bat with a broken toe, receives hero's welcome at Old Trafford – ‘Remarkable man'
The spectators at the stadium gave him a rousing reception as he made his way gingerly down the stairs, passed Thakur, who gave him a pat on the back, touched the boundary and then his had respectfully as he usually does and then walked onto the ground.
'The noise from the ground because here comes hobbling down the steps, Rishabh Pant!' former England captain Michael Atherton said in the commentary box.
'He has managed to get that damaged foot into a normal cricket shoe and he is making way gingerly into the middle. This is quite remarkable. Good for him because he is obviously still in great discomfort. Now anything can happen,' Atherton's co-commentator and former England player Ian Ward said. 'Continues to enthrall us with everything he does, Rishabh Pant. Remarkable player. Remarkable man.'
Here comes Rishabh Pant…
A classy reception from the Emirates Old Trafford crowd 👏 pic.twitter.com/vBwSuKdFcW
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) July 24, 2025
Pant has been advised six weeks' rest for the fractured toe. Batting on 37, Pant had tried a pre-determined reverse sweep against seamer Chris Woakes but missed, taking a hit on his right boot. The ball hit the boot after taking an inside edge.
With one man short in the playing XI, the Indian team management had asked the medical team to check if Pant can bat after taking a painkiller if the need arises. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) later confirmed that Pant won't be keeping wickets but he will be available to bat 'as per team requirements'.
Pant will not keep wickets in this match and is confirmed to be ruled out for the fifth and final Test. Ishan Kishan was initially considered as his eplacement but he informed the selectors that he has an ankle injury and won't be able to recover in time or gain full match fitness. KS Bharat was seen as an alternate option, it is understood that the selectors were not keen on going back to him after the Andhra wicketkeeper failed to grab his chances during the home Test series against England.
As a result, Tamil Nadu's N Jagadeesan, who is next in line, has been added to the squad. The 29-year-old has been part of the India A set up in recent times. In 52 first-class matches, he has scored 10 centuries and 14 fifties at an average of 47.50 for a tally of 3373 runs.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Indian Express
3 minutes ago
- Indian Express
Indian fast bowlers lacked ‘energy behind the ball' at Manchester, says bowling coach Morne Morkel
There were many questions spinning around at Old Trafford at stumps on this seemingly decisive day of the series. Why didn't Washington Sundar bowl till the 68th over? Why Kuldeep Yadav hasn't played a Test? Can Anshul Kamboj be a third seamer at the international level by bowling around 120 kph? Are Mohammed Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah fit after the grueling day of cricket? First the fitness update by Indian bowling coach Morne Morkel. 'Unfortunately, when we took the second new ball, Bumrah rolled his ankle going down the stairs and Siraj rolled his foot in one of the foot holes. But they seem to be okay,' he said. Morkel also had one generic answer to India's forgettable bowling performance — their lack of pace and bite on the Old Trafford pitch. 'That is something that we're definitely also trying to get our heads around. On a flat surface, you need a little bit of energy behind the ball. I think that's definitely one of the factors for us so far in our bowling innings … You need that little bit of energy on the ball on good surfaces where the ball at times is not doing as much,' he said. Morne also said the team didn't stick to plans and they leaked too many runs. 'We were fantastic in the last two Tests, but we had a bad day yesterday, we were on the back foot. We had plans, but at the end of the day, you can have a plan, but it is about executing those plans for a longer period of time,' he said. On the question of Bumrah's ineffectiveness with the new ball, he mentioned the run leak. 'We are finding it hard to create pressure from both ends. For Bumrah to be successful, we need to build a partnership. So the other guys need to help him out. And I think at times, you know, the guys are also trying from the other end. It's a little bit greedy, trying to strive too much and we leak runs to release the pressure.' In the four Tests that India has played under Shubman Gill and Gautam Gambhir, the team management have been obsessed with bowlers who can bat. They have tried every possible combination but still refused to give a chance to specialist Kuldeep Yadav. At Old Trafford, the captain showed the same stubbornness in not getting Washington Sundar into the attack. The off-spinner came on to bowl at 305/2 in the day's 69th over. The bowling coach had an answer for that too. 'It was Shubman who took the call to stick to the seamer a little bit longer … I think in the first couple of days (when England bowled) we saw the ball moving and seaming around. And then when we got the opportunity to bowl, we missed out … Did we bowl enough good balls to decide to (turn to) spin straight away? I don't think so,' he said. Captains generally bank on gut feeling and conviction to take important decisions. Either way, Shubman got this one wrong. Washington, as was the case at Lord's, got the ball to drift and that got him the wickets of Ollie Pope and the dangerous Harry Brook. In such conditions Kuldeep could have been a handful. He and Root have a history, one in favour of Kuldeep. Back in 2018, in the space of three balls, within 10 days, across two games, first in a T20 and then in an ODI, the wrist spinner had taken out Root. The T20 dismissal in fact came at this same venue in Manchester and the ODI was at Lord's. Both dismissals were in contrasting manner. The T20 at Old Trafford had Root stumbling clueless to the ball sliding away from him and dragged out of his stumps while groping for the ball in the dark, he was stumped by MS Dhoni. At the Lord's ODI, he went back but was bewildered by the ball that spun in sharply to pin him lbw. Morne conceded that Kuldeep was a good option but the limitation of the rest of the squad is keeping him away. 'We are trying to find balance and how can we get that batting line-up to be a little bit longer and stronger. We've seen in the past that we've lost wickets in clumps and Kuldeep is world-class and he's bowling really well at the moment. So we're trying our best to find ways for him to get in,' he said. The bowling coach sounded totally helpless when asked about Kamboj. Was he fit? How come he bowled at an average speed 125 kph? 'He's definitely fully fit. I wish I could give you that answer (about speed) because I would have told him then how to bowl quicker, but when he arrived here, he bowled well in the nets. He was definitely quicker when bowling for India A and games back home,' he said.
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
5 minutes ago
- First Post
Joe Root's record-breaking day in office leaves India's hopes hanging by a thread at Old Trafford
Indian cricket fans stare at a potential future heartbreak in the form of Joe Root surpassing Sachin Tendulkar's tally of Test runs. Former captain Root, however, was fully occupied dishing it out in the present on Day 3 at Old Trafford. read more England's Joe Root acknowledges the ovation from the crowd at Old Trafford after getting dismissed on 150 on Day 3 of the fourth Test against India. AP The moment itself was fittingly unassuming, Joe Root steering Anshul Kamboj behind point for a single, a run that took him to 13,379 in his career – and more crucially past Ricky Ponting to second on the all-time list behind Sachin Tendulkar. Before that Root had ambled along with all the ease of a barge pootling down one of Manchester's canals, almost silently slipping past Rahul Dravid and then Jaques Kallis on the Test run-scorers list and then just as casually notching his hundred as the afternoon sun shone down on Old Trafford. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD It was a 38th Test hundred for Root, taking him level with Kumar Sangakkara; only Ponting, Kallis and Tendulkar have more. Not only that but a 12th against India; only Don Bradman – 19 v England – and Sunil Gavaskar – 13 v West Indies – have more against a single opponent. One major peak left for Root to summit In short we are fast approaching the moment where there is just one real record left for Root to conquer – catching Sachin for the most runs in Test history. The number one slot is by no means out of reach, if Root can continue at his current rate – an elite Test average of 51.37 – he would require just under 25 Tests to reach the milestone. 📺 If there's ever a day to stick the highlights on... Today is that day 👇 — England Cricket (@englandcricket) July 25, 2025 That though is just potential future heartbreak for Indian cricket fans. On Day 3 at Old Trafford, Root was fully occupied dishing it out in the present day. England arrived with the score at 225/2, still trailing by 133 and needing a nerveless start from Ollie Pope and Root in order not to undo the great work done by their opening pair the night before. Around the stabilising calmness of Root's effortless accumulation, he and Pope began crafting the first course of India's all-day buffet of cricketing torture, all slow-roasted in the freshly arrived Manchester sun. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD By lunch they had added over a hundred together, in total their stand would finish at 144, India looking increasingly short of ideas and morale as they were made to toil in the field. Even the loss of Harry Brook, out cheaply stumped for 3, shortly after the dismissal of Pope, did little to ease the tourists' pain. Instead in walked Ben Stokes, scratchy at first but, aided by the serene presence of Root at the other end, still able to turn the screw on the opposition. Poor decisions, fitness issues exacerbate India's woes India were not blameless themselves, the decision to delay the entrance of Washington Sundar into the attack seemed curious at first and then negligent later when he appeared the only bowler to really challenge the opposition. Other setbacks were beyond their control, niggling injuries to both Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammad Siraj only served to exacerbate the slow torment coming from the bats of Root and Stokes. England's lead was nearly worth 200 at close of play on Day 3 at Old Trafford with Ben Stokes and Liam Dawson still batting. AP In the end it was cramp, not Indian bowling that would break up the pair, Stokes retiring hurt on 66 and the partnership on 142, although he would return before the close – , a lead of 186 – but in the meantime Root continued to accumulate runs with menacing tranquility. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD For the remarkable 17th time in Tests Root would move to 150 and in the end only a ripper from Ravi Jadeja and a smart piece of work behind the stumps from substitute keeper Jurel would see him out stumped, but by then the damage had long been inflicted. By the close India were a ruinously mammoth 186 behind, thanks to Root their hopes in this series hang by a thread, they will require something phenomenal if they are not to travel to The Oval next week with the series already lost at 3-1.
Time of India
34 minutes ago
- Time of India
FIDE Women's World Cup to have an Indian winner for first time
In a historic moment for Indian chess, Koneru Humpy and Divya Deshmukh will compete in the FIDE Women's World Cup final, guaranteeing an Indian winner. Both players have secured spots in the next Women's Candidates tournament. Humpy's experience contrasts with Deshmukh's youthful aggression, setting the stage for a compelling final. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads In a first for Indian chess , the FIDE Women's World Cup will have a winner from the country with Koneru Humpy and Divya Deshmukh set to fight it out in what could be anybody's game in the grand finale here on the first in the event's history that two Indians are facing each other in the final. Both Humpy and Deshmukh have qualified for the Women's candidates' tournament next year after reaching the final pure experience of playing big games, Humpy goes in the final as the favourite against compatriot held her nerves to score a come-from-behind victory in the semifinals over Tingjie Lei of China in the tiebreaker on Thursday, while Deshmukh defeated former world champion Zhongyi Tan -- also of China -- in the second game of the last-four stage Humpy, 38, was the winner of the world women's rapid tournament and also tied for first at the women's grand prix in recent times and she has proved yet again that age is just a number. Her grit and determination has not faded one bit in the past many years."It's one of the happiest moments for chess fans because now the title will go to India for sure. But of course, as a player, tomorrow will be quite a tough game as well -- Divya has played tremendously well in this whole tournament," Humpy told FIDE half the age of Humpy, International Master Deshmukh has already stunned as many as three players ranked in top ten in the event. Her first victim was second seed Jiner Zhu of China, before ousting D 19-year-old Nagpur-based Deshmukh then beat former women's world champion Zhongyi Tan of China in the semifinals."I just need some sleep and some food, these days have been so anxious for me," Deshmukh said after entering the final."I think I could have played much better. I was winning at a certain point and then it got complicated. I think I messed up in the middlegame and that I should have had a much smoother win," she said about her semifinal match."She put up such a great fight at a certain point. I was just doubting if it was just a draw -- I think I got lucky in the end."Humpy was stretched to the tiebreaker in the pre quarterfinals by former world champion Alexandra Kosteniuk of Switzerland and she followed it up with a clinical performance against Yuxin best, thus far, was reserved for the semifinals as she outclassed top seed Tingjei Lei of China in the five minutes' games after the players had reached a 3-3 deadlock."I played a bit shaky in the rapid, but she also gave a very good fight. It could have gone either way," Humpy said about her semifinal opponent."It was a very tough match. Initially, I played quite badly with the Black pieces and she always had the advantage. After the loss (in Game 3), it was a very difficult situation, but I was able to come back."Saturday's final will also be played over two classical games and if the results stand at 1-1, games of shorter duration will be played to determine the minimum take away for finishing second here is USD 35000 while the winner will take home USD additional bonus is qualification to the next Women's Candidates tournament in which both the Indians have reserved their seats now. The 8-player Candidates tournament will decide the challenger for reigning world champion Wenjun Ju of China in the next world women's championship has the ability to sit through long games without making mistakes. Deshmukh, on the other hand, has an attacking style. It is going to be a battle of wits in the final that starts after a lone rest day.
