"He really has risked a lot there" - Former England captain's massive statement on Rishabh Pant's injury after Day 2 of ENG vs IND 2025 4th Test

England v India - 4th Rothesay Test Match: Day Two - Source: Getty
Rishabh Pant displayed incredible resolve by coming out to bat injured on Day 2 at Manchester [Credit: Getty]

Former England captain Nasser Hussain hailed Team India wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant for coming out to bat despite battling an injury on Day 2 of the fourth Test at Manchester. The 27-year-old was struck on his toe when he missed a reverse sweep off a Chris Woakes delivery on the opening day.

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Overnight scans confirmed that Pant had a fractured toe, which ruled him out of the remainder of the series. Yet, the southpaw stunned fans and former players by walking out to bat at the fall of the sixth wicket in the morning session of Day 2.

Pant added 17 valuable runs from his overnight score of 37 despite being hobbled, helping India post a competitive 358 in their first innings. Unfortunately, the Indian bowlers struggled for consistency as England finished the day on a commanding 225/2 in 46 overs.

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Talking about Pant walking out even with an injury after play on Day 2, Hussain told Sky Sports:

"That is a massive heart (to come out and bat). That's what made me slightly cross about how India went out and bowled. All those runs he put on, not just his runs, but by being there with Washington Sundar, getting a partnership. He has really risked a lot there."
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"He is probably batting with a broken foot. That is a huge heart. He has a lot of talent but he has a huge heart as well. To get all those runs, get up to 350+ and then to start the way they did (with the ball), the Indian bowlers didn't get it right," he added.
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Pant is the second leading run-scorer in the series with 479 runs at an average of 68.42, including two centuries and three half-centuries.

Team India will have to do without his services in the fifth and final Test at the Oval, while he will not keep wickets in the ongoing Manchester encounter.

"Just hope that one hour before tea doesn't come back to bite them" - Dinesh Karthik

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Former Indian wicketkeeper Dinesh Karthik believes the visitors' poor performance with the new ball before tea on Day 2 cost them the Manchester Test and the overall series. After posting a fighting total of 358, the Indian pacers leaked runs on both sides of the wicket as England raced to 77/0 in 14 overs at tea.

The hosts continued to score at a rapid pace in the final session despite India eventually removing both England openers, Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley, for 94 and 84, respectively.

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"I just hope that one hour before tea doesn't come back to bite them at the end of the series. They have been the dominant team in this series but that one session is where Test matches are decided on and Test series gets decided on. If that does happen here, they'll be very disappointed," said Karthik (via the aforementioned source).

Trailing 1-2 in the best-of-five series, India must win the ongoing Manchester game to harbor hopes of their first Test series win in England since 2007.

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Edited by Venkatesh Ravichandran
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