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India’s batting coach Sitanshu Kotak confirmed that Rishabh Pant, who fractured his foot on the opening day of the fourth Test, will be available for batting in the second innings.
“I think he will bat,” Kotak said.
Pant was hit on the foot while trying to reverse sweep a Chris Woakes’ yorker in the first innings. The ball took an inside edge and ricocheted onto his front boot. Visibly in pain, Pant hobbled and called on the physio and had to be eventually taken off the pitch in a golf cart as his right foot, already swollen up, was bleeding profusely. The scans revealed a fracture, and he was advised to take six weeks’ rest.
However, Pant walked out to bat again despite the fracture and went on to score a half-century. Sources indicate that the wicketkeeper-batter has decided to wait until the ongoing Test match gets over before getting his fractured toe plastered, with his foot currently being put on ice. With India fighting to save the Test, the stumper-batter’s presence could be a huge boost.
Kotak also heaped praise on Shubman Gill and K.L. Rahul for the unbroken partnership, which helped India fight back after reeling at 0 for 2. “Both Rahul and Shubman have shown belief and determination. They have been absolutely brilliant with the way they batted,” Kotak said, adding: “Rahul has been outstanding throughout the series…”
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On Saturday, Rahul became the second Asian opener to aggregate 500-plus (508) runs in a Test series in England, after Sunil Gavaskar (542 in 1979).
While batting, Rahul was hobbling in pain after being hit on the knee off a good length delivery by Joe Root, but the physios weren’t allowed on the pitch. However, Kotak downplayed the issue, stating that it wasn’t the umpire’s call. “In case of an injury, an umpire cannot stop the physio from checking the player. But I think, in this case, maybe, he (Rahul) did not want it…” Kotak said.
Though Rahul and Gill have launched India’s fightback, the job is far from over. And, Kotak expects the Old Trafford surface to have some ‘wear and tear’ on the final day. “We will take it hour by hour and session by session,” he said.
