India’s vice-captain and wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant has been ruled out of the ongoing fourth Test against England at Old Trafford as well as the fifth and final Test at The Oval after scans confirmed a fracture in his right foot.
Pant, who was batting fluently on 37, sustained the injury while attempting a reverse sweep against England all-rounder Chris Woakes on Day 1.
He immediately looked in discomfort and was forced to retire hurt before being taken off the field on a golf cart.
Medical scans later revealed a metatarsal fracture, with the initial recovery window estimated between six to eight weeks.
Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel
This marks the second injury scare for the 26-year-old in the last two matches. In the previous Test at Lord’s, Pant had also injured his left index finger while keeping wickets.
Dhruv Jurel, who replaced him behind the stumps then, is once again expected to take over the gloves for the remainder of the series.
While Rishabh Pant will not resume wicketkeeping duties in Manchester, the final call on whether he will bat in the second innings will rest with the team management and the BCCI’s medical team.
India currently trail the five-match series 2-1. The fourth Test in Manchester runs until July 27, while the fifth Test at The Oval begins on July 31.