IND vs ENG / Rishabh Pant's leg is broken, he may be out for 42 days, Ishan Kishan will take his place

IND vs ENG: On the first day of the Manchester Test match, Team India suffered a major setback when their star wicketkeeper batsman Rishabh Pant left the field injured. A fast ball from England fast bowler Chris Woakes hit his shoe, causing him to groan in pain. Pant was immediately taken off the field. Later, a CT scan revealed that he had a fracture in his toe and doctors have advised him to rest for 6 weeks. This injury has increased the difficulties of the Indian team, as now they will have to go with only 9 batsmen in the Manchester Test.

Pant's injury: How did the accident happen?

Rishabh Pant was batting confidently during the first day's play, scoring 37 runs off 48 balls. He tried to play a reverse shot on a ball from Chris Woakes, but the ball bounced off his expectation and hit his shoe directly. Pant sat down on the field, groaning in pain, and with the help of the physio, he was immediately taken to the dressing room. Later, the fracture was confirmed in a CT scan, which raised concerns in the Indian camp.

Pant was in great form in this series. He scored 462 runs with the help of two centuries and two half-centuries, making him one of the most reliable batsmen in the team. In his absence, the Indian middle order has suffered a major setback.

Ishan Kishan likely to return

After Rishabh Pant's exclusion, now there are reports that wicketkeeper-batsman Ishan Kishan may be included in the Indian team for the fifth Test. Kishan has been out of the Test team for the last two years. He played his last Test match against West Indies in July 2023. So far in his career, Kishan has scored 78 runs with a half-century in 3 innings of 2 Test matches.

This season, Kishan has performed brilliantly in county cricket for Nottinghamshire. He scored two half-centuries in two matches, which caught the attention of the selectors. Given his aggressive batting and wicketkeeping skills, it is believed that he can fill Pant's place.

Challenges facing Team India

In the absence of Pant, the Indian team will face challenges not only in batting but also in wicketkeeping. The Manchester pitch is expected to help the fast bowlers, and in such a situation, the absence of an experienced wicketkeeper may be felt. If Ishan Kishan gets a chance, it will be a golden opportunity for him to regenerate his Test career.

The Indian team management is now brainstorming on how to strengthen the middle order in the absence of Pant. Also, it will be interesting to see how Kishan performs on this big stage when he gets a chance.