ENG vs IND: Shardul says getting Rishabh Pant back on-field was always in plans, lauds medical team

Few expected Rishabh Pant to come out to bat on Thursday with a fractured foot, but Shardul Thakur revealed that the management always planned to make Pant available for batting.

“It was always our plan. There were quite a few efforts from the medical team. So, yes, kudos to them that they could get Rishabh back onto the field,” Shardul said.

Pant was in pain and discomfort, but with India losing six wickets, he limped his way to the middle. After taking a few singles before dealing in fours, Pant eventually brought up his 18th fifty.

His dedication towards the game evoked memories of Anil Kumble’s heroics when the former India captain bowled with a broken jaw during the second Test match of the 2002 tour of the West Indies, demonstrating immense grit.

“He, of course, scored vital runs for the team. He was in a lot of pain. We have seen him doing a lot of amazing things, and this was just another amazing thing that he did for the team today,” Shardul said.

Pant’s injury also led to debates on whether teams should be allowed to have substitutes who can bat or bowl if any player suffered a genuine injury. Shardul, however, said that if such a rule is introduced, it should be done from the next World Test Championship (WTC) cycle.

“There have been talks about it, but even if something like that happens, it should not happen in the middle of a WTC cycle. Ideally, it should happen from the next cycle,” Shardul said.

Having seen Pant overcome the odds several times in the past, the all-rounder left it to the wicketkeeper-batter and the team management to decide whether he would come out to bat in the second innings if the need arose.

Pant celebrates his half century with Jasprit Bumrah on Day 2 of the fourth Test between India and England, at the Old Trafford Cricket Ground, in Manchester.
| Photo Credit:
PTI

“Everyone was very excited to see how he would approach his innings. His passion for the team is unmatched, and we have seen a lot of instances in the past where players have batted with fractures.

“There was a time when Graeme Smith was batting in the South African team with a fractured hand, so in these moments, the grit of the player comes into play,” Shardul said.

“Rishabh’s positivity and his grit keep him away from all the pains. His pain-bearing capacity is very high. If he is in pain, then it must be a serious injury…”