India sweat on Pant fitness after 'consequential' foot injury / Photo: © AFP
India sweat on Pant fitness after 'consequential' foot injury
India are anxiously awaiting the results of scans to discover the full extent of a foot injury suffered by Rishabh Pant that threatens to have major "consequences" for the fourth Test against England at Old Trafford.
Sai Sudharsan, who top-scored with 61 in India's stumps total of 264-4 and was at the other end when Pant was injured, said the left-hander "was in a lot of pain".
"He's gone for scans and we'll get to know overnight," Sudharsan told reporters after Wednesday's close.
"He was batting really well here. We miss a batter if he doesn't come back again, so it would definitely have consequences. We'll try to give our best and bat long so that we negotiate that loss," he added.
Pant counter-attacked in trademark fashion after India, sent in to bat by England captain Ben Stokes, slid from 94-0 to 140-3 on Wednesday's opening day in Manchester.
He slog-swept Jofra Archer for four and launched Brydon Carse for a superb straight six.
But Pant's latest dashing display was cut short when, on 37, the wicketkeeper inside-edged an audacious reverse sweep off Chris Woakes' yorker on to his right boot.
When Pant took off his boot, he revealed a foot that became increasingly bruised and swollen as he received lengthy on-field treatment from team medical staff.
Pant, who has scored 462 runs this series at a superb average of 77, was taken off the field on a buggy in evident pain.
His fitness to both bat and keep wicket in the rest of this Test -- a game India, at 2-1 down, must win if they are to clinch this five-match contest -- is now in doubt.
- Dawson thought 'Test cricket was gone' -
England left-arm spinner Liam Dawson, who marked his first Test in eight years with the key wicket of India opener Yashasvi Jaiswal for 58, said he feared Pant would now be ruled out of the rest of this match.
"Our thoughts are with him, it didn't look a great injury so I hope he's alright," Dawson said. "He's obviously a very good player but I can't see him taking much more part in this game."
Dawson admitted he had given up on a Test recall before Shoaib Bashir's series-ending finger injury during England's dramatic 22-run win over India in last week's thrilling clash at Lord's paved the way for his return.
The 35-year-old Dawson responded with 1-45 in 15 overs after having Jaiswal caught at slip for his first Test wicket in 2,929 days since dismissing now retired South Africa batsman Hashim Amla at Trent Bridge.
"I've said to a few people that the age I'm at, I thought Test cricket was gone," Dawson said.
"To be back involved is really cool and I've got to try and enjoy each day that I get.
"I do feel I'm a better bowler than what I was a few years ago.
"Hopefully I'll get a couple more. It's one wicket, I've done nothing special."
D.Ward--VC
