Can India substitute Rishabh Pant with another batter after his toe injury in ENG vs IND 2025 4th Test?

England v India - Fourth Rothesay Test Match - Source: Getty
Rishabh Pant has reportedly fractured his toe. (Pic: Getty Images).

Team India wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant suffered a blow to his right foot while batting on Day 1 of the side's ongoing fourth Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy against England. Even if he can't take part in the match because of the injury, India won't be allowed to substitute him with another batter.

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According to the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) substitutions laws, India will be permitted to bring in reserve wicketkeeper Dhruv Jurel to keep wickets (after approval of on-field umpires). However, Jurel, or any other substitute, cannot bat in place of Pant as per the rules.

Here's what section 24.1.2 of MCC's playing conditions states:

"A substitute shall not bowl or act as captain but may act as wicket-keeper only with the consent of the umpires."
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This means that India will be one batter short in the Test if Pant isn't fit enough to bat. According to a report by The Indian Express, the 27-year-old has a fractured toe and has been advised a six-week rest.

Rishabh Pant was hit on the toe during the 68th over of India's first innings on the opening day. On the fourth ball of the over, he attempted a reverse sweep off pacer Chris Woakes' bowling, but failed to get any connection.

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He seemed to be in a lot of pain as he struggled to walk. The swashbuckling batter was retired hurt after scoring 37 runs off 48 deliveries. The Team India vice-captain was taken off the field in a golf cart.


"I don't like the rules that we have in the game" - Michael Vaughan on injury replacement law after Rishabh Pant's injury in ENG vs IND 2025 4th Test

Former England captain Michael Vaughan opined that the International Cricket Council (ICC) should introduce a rule that allows teams to replace a player who has sustained a serious injury during a match. He suggested that injury substitution should also be part of the game alongside concussion substitution.

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He noted that Rishabh Pant sustaining a fracture on Day 1 should not leave India with just 10 players in their lineup for the remainder of the Test. The cricketer-turned-commentator told Cricbuzz:

I don't like the rules that we have in the game. We have had a concussion substitution for a while now. I would love to see a replacement substitution. If Rishabh Pant has broken his foot on the first day of a Test match, why are we allowing the game another four days to go with a team down to 10 men? He's broken his foot, clear and obvious substitute."

It is worth mentioning that the ICC is set to test the injury substitution rules in First-Class cricket. As per the change introduced to the playing conditions, a player who sustains an injury on the field of play can be replaced by a fully participating like-to-like player for the remainder of the match. It will be tested for six months, beginning October 2025.

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Edited by Aditya Suketu Desai
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