Pant benched from keeping with fractured toe; Jagadeesan likely as Kishan ruled out

Braving a fractured right toe, India’s vice-captain Rishabh Pant displayed grit and determination to come out and bat after the fall of Shardul Thakur’s wicket on the second morning of the fourth Test against England at Old Trafford on Thursday.

After Ben Stokes ended Thakur’s resistance, producing 41 off 88 deliveries, England would have thought they had their way into India’s tail. But to their surprise, and amid thunderous applause from the crowd, Pant came down the stairs, grabbing onto the railing, every step taking with extreme care, to help push India’s total up to 321 for 6 at lunch on the second day.

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The BCCI later issued a statement confirming Pant will no longer perform wicket-keeping duties in the remainder of the Manchester Test, and will be replaced by Dhruv Jurel for the same. Pant, however, remains available to bat “as per the team’s requirements”. Incidentally, at Lord’s, Jurel filled in as the substitute keeper after a left index finger injury kept Pant off keeping duties.

Meanwhile, Pant, who retired hurt on the opening day, initially didn’t join the team ahead of the second day’s play, and later came to the ground with a moon boot on his right foot.

“Rishabh Pant, who sustained an injury to his right foot on Day 1 of the Manchester Test, will not be performing wicket-keeping duties for the remainder of the match. Dhruv Jurel will assume the role of wicket-keeper. Despite his injury, Rishabh Pant has joined the team on Day 2 and will be available to bat as per team requirements,” the BCCI’s official update read.

On Wednesday, Pant was hit during the final session on Day 1, when he copped a blow to his right foot while attempting a reverse-sweep off Chris Woakes. He was batting on 37 at that point, and England even sought a referral for LBW, only for the replays to confirm an inside edge. However, the 27-year-old couldn’t continue to bat and needed a buggy to wheel him off the ground.

Scans later confirmed a fracture, though Pant has not left the team camp. He is still unable to put any pressure on the injured foot. The fracture could rule Pant out of action for nearly six to eight weeks, and thus the BCCI is mulling at naming a replacement for the upcoming fifth and final Test against England at The Oval, starting July 31.

Kishan unavailable for selection

Contrary to media reports of Ishan Kishan being projected as a possible replacement for Pant for The Oval Test, the Jharkhand wicketkeeper-batter is unavailable for selection after suffering an ankle injury.

The left-handed Kishan was considered a like-for-like replacement for Pant, but with Kishan, who was the second wicketkeeper for India A with Jurel as part of the preparations for the ongoing Test series in England, also recovering from an injury, he is an unlikely candidate for the Oval Test.

According to cricbuzz, the BCCI is now in touch with Tamil Nadu keeper-batter N Jagadeesan, and the right-hander could be drafted into the squad as Pant’s replacement for the final Test.