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"Can’t Keep Rishabh Pant Out": India Coach Backs Injured Batter For Manchester Test

Aakash Saini

Rishabh Pant [Source: @CricCrazyJohns/x]Rishabh Pant [Source: @CricCrazyJohns/x]

Rishabh Pant sustained a nasty finger injury during India’s fighting Lord’s Test against England earlier this month. The injury even prompted the wicketkeeper-batter to leave the field at one stage of the match, enabling backup keeper Dhruv Jurel to take his place.

Despite battling injury, the 27-year-old punched out a courageous 74 during the first Indian innings of the match, before failing to take his team past the finishing line in the decisive innings. Ahead of India’s fourth Test of the series against England at Old Trafford in Manchester, Indian assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate has revealed some crucial updates regarding the cricketer’s recovery process.

“Keeping Is Optional” Says India Coach Before 4th Test

While speaking at a press conference, Indian assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate signified the importance of having Rishabh Pant in the team, even though the cricketer recently suffered an injury at Lord’s. Doeschate said that while Pant batted with a “lot of pain” in the third Test, it will only get easier for him going forward.

He added that the Indian team management also does not want to replace him as wicketkeeper halfway through an innings. The Indian coach said:

“He will bat in Manchester before the Test. I don't think you're gonna keep Rishabh out of the Test no matter what. He batted with quite a lot of pain in the 3rd Test, and it's only going to get easier on his finger. Keeping is the last part of the process. We need to make sure that he can keep — we don't want to go through that again where we have to replace the keeper halfway through an innings," ten Doeschate was quoted as saying by Hindustan Times. 

Ryan ten Doeschate said that while Rishabh Pant is already in the equation of playing the fourth Test, the cricketer will get to keep as well as bat if he gets fit in time for the Manchester affair. He added:

“But he rested today, was trying to give the finger as long as possible, and hopefully, he's good to go in Manchester in the first session. He is in the equation, but I mean if he's fit, he plays the next Test and does both.”

Team India will face England in Manchester between July 23 and July 27. The Shubman Gill-led team is currently trailing the series 1-2 after losing the Lord’s Test by 22 runs.