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India wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant made a courageous return to the crease on the third day of the Manchester Test against England. This came after he was forced to retire hurt on 37 the day before after a delivery from Chris Woakes ended up hitting him hard on his right foot. Following this, the 27-year-old wasn't even able to walk properly and had to eventually be taken off the field on a golf cart.
He was straight away taken to a nearby hospital for scans and India's worst fear was confirmed once the report came out. The reports showed that Pant had fractured his toe and was advised by the doctors to take a rest for 6 weeks. However, despite his serious injury, the left-hander came back to bat on the third day in heroic fashion. He even went on to play some fine shots and ended up bringing up his half-century. He was eventually dismissed on 54 by Jofra Archer in the second session.
However, former England cricketer David Lloyd revealed that there were some questionable remarks made on the 27-year-old in the 'legends lounge' with some even saying that should have been 'timed out'. Others claimed that Pant was 'milking the injury' and was exaggerating quite a bit.
Lloyd revealed the strange remarks that were made about Pant
"I've never had a metatarsal, which I think is somewhere in the foot, seeing Rishabh Pant. I have had a smashed hand against Andy Roberts and a broken cheekbone. I couldn't bat on after either, although I think I did continue when I had a broken finger. Pant looked in pain; pretty heroic of him to come out, though. Northerners, whether they are tough enough, but I was in that legends lounge today, and the consensus was 'He has milking that injury. It can't be that bad. He's milked it, coming down those steps, and one or two said, 'He should be timed out,'" Lloyd said on talkSPORT Cricket.
The whole saga around Pant's injury also started the debate over the use of substitutes in cricket when it came to serious external injuries. Lloyd is among the people who are in favour of the rule change, but also highlighted how it can affect the sport in a negative manner.
"I probably am against runners, but I am pro substitutes for an external injury. It opens up a can of worms, it really does. But if it is an external injury, a break and medically he isn't going to be fit for six weeks, you could have a like-for-like substitute. So that's something else that you've got to consider. Not like replace a batter with a spinner though," Lloyd stated.
Meanwhile, the Indian bowlers will be desperate for wickets as soon as the third day starts at Old Trafford. With England likely to surpass the visitors' first-inning total of 358, the Men in Blue's main objective will be to restrict the hosts to the lowest score they can.
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