Former captain Michael Vaughan has opined that Team India have been handed a massive disadvantage following Rishabh Pant's injury on Day 1 of the fourth Test against England at Old Trafford, Manchester. The wicket-keeper batter was carried off the field after Chris Woakes' delivery struck him on the foot while attempting an unorthodox reverse sweep during the third session of play.
Given that the initial signs were concerning, coupled with the alarming swelling and the rush to the hospital, it is highly unlikely that Pant will take any further part in the game. Team India were faced with a similar predicament when the southpaw sustained a finger injury during the third Test. However, on that occasion, he was fit to bat across both innings while Dhruv Jurel kept wickets.
In this particular scenario, India are left with only 10 batters in total as Pant's replacement, Dhruv Jurel, is only allowed to take up his spot in the field, and not in the batting order.
Michael Vaughan opined that replacement substitutions should be permitted when there is a 'clear and obvious' injury inflicted on a player on the field.
"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," Vaughan said on Cricbuzz.
The former captain further added that should Rishabh Pant be unavailable for the rest of the match, it automatically makes England favorites to win.
"The injury to Rishabh Pant is just a massive moment in this game, and obviously in the series. From what I saw with him being stretchered off, that lump on his foot, it looks a bad one. So, I hope that is not the case and I hope he can come back and play on Day 2. But from what I saw, he might not play much more part in the game. If you don't have a Rishabh Pant batting in the second innings or tomorrow, I think that really is a 25 per cent sway towards England winning," he said.
Team India batter Sai Sudharsan confirmed that Pant was sent to the hospital for the scans. The results will arguably dictate the extent of his participation in the ongoing match as well as the series finale at The Oval.
"Probably beat the outside edge on 30-40 occasions" - Michael Vaughan on England's bowling performance on Day 1 amid Pant's injury and Sai Sudharsan's vigil
England skipper Ben Stokes had cited the overcast conditions as the rationale behind his decision to bowl first after winning the toss for the fourth time in the series. However, the hosts could not pick a single wicket with the new ball as the resilient pair of KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal were at their watchful best.
Vaughan stated that England were a bit unlucky not to end up with a wicket with the new ball as it tested the batters' outside edge on numerous occasions.
"England stuck to their guns, they bowled nicely. Could have quite easily had two or three more. Probably beat the outside edge on 30-40 occasions, could have bowled a bit fuler in the morning session," Vaughan said.
The foundation set by KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sai Sudharsan's fifty after being dropped by Jamie Smith, and cameos by Shardul Thakur and Ravindra Jadeja towards the end helped India reach 264-4 at Stumps on Day 1.
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