Former India head coach Ravi Shastri has expressed concern over Rishabh Pant’s availability for the fourth Test against England at Old Trafford. He believes that Pant should not feature in the match as a ‘specialist batter’ if he is not fit enough to keep wickets. Pant sustained a left index finger injury while attempting to collect a delivery from Jasprit Bumrah during the third Test at Lord’s. Following the injury, Dhruv Jurel stepped in as a substitute wicketkeeper. Although Pant returned to bat in the second innings, he appeared to be in discomfort and was dismissed for just 9 runs by Jofra Archer. India ultimately failed to chase down the 193-run target, getting bowled out for 170, and losing the match by 22 runs. The defeat saw the visitors fall behind 2-1 in the series.
Ahead of the crucial fourth Test, Shastri shared his opinion on the ICC Review, stating, “I don’t think he should go in as a specialist batter if he can’t keep because he will have to field. If he fields, that will be worse.” He further explained, “With the gloves, at least there is some protection. Without gloves, if he gets something that stings in there, then it won’t be very good. It’ll only worsen the injury.”
Shastri emphasized the importance of a thorough assessment from the physio team to determine the extent of Pant’s injury. He suggested that Pant should skip the fourth Test if the injury involves a fracture and instead aim to return fully fit for the fifth Test at The Oval.
“You’ve got to see if it is a break. If it is a break or a fracture, then he rather rests it and comes fully fit at The Oval. He won’t get a substitute now. Now they’ll know that he has been injured,” Shastri noted. He continued, “When you pick the team for the next Test, he’ll have to keep and he’ll have to bat. He can’t do one of the two. It’s if it is fully fit. If it is not a crack, I think he’ll play.”
Despite the injury, Pant has been one of India’s standout players in the series. Over six innings, he has scored 425 runs at an impressive average of 70.83, including two centuries and two fifties. If cleared to play, he will be looking to build on his strong performance in the final two Tests