Rishabh Pant’s scary injury situation after he suffered three blows to the body during the third day of the second unofficial Test between India A and South Africa A at the Board of Control for Cricket
in India (BCCI)’s grounds at the Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru.
The 28-year-old, who was recently named in India’s squad for the upcoming two-match Test series against South Africa, was hit on the helmet, left elbow, and abdomen by South African pacer Tshepo Moraki in the morning session. He was subjected to medical attention on all three occasions.
Pant was batting on 17 off 22 balls when he was asked to walk off by India ‘A’ coach Hrishikesh Kanitkar, despite him wanting to continue to bat. Now, according to a news report by PTI, taking Pant off the field was a ‘precautionary measure’. The report said that the left-hander, who was later seen with a strapping in his left hand, might be able to bat again, too.
“The team physios are observing him, and they will take a call whether he can bat or not, if the match situation comes to that,” a team official told PTI.
Pant has shown promising form on his return to red-ball cricket, scoring 24 runs in the first innings of this game and 90 runs in the previous unofficial Test at the same venue.
Pant is the first-choice keeper for the Test series beginning next week in Kolkata, which is supposed to be his international comeback after over two months of rehab and recovery from a foot fracture he suffered during India’s Test tour of England. Should he be unable to recover in time, Jurel, who impressed with a century in the ongoing match, could step in as his replacement.
Jurel has proven to be a great backup to Pant, at least with the gloves if not exactly with the bat. Jurel stood in for Pant in England and was excellent behind the stumps.
