India’s big-hitting wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant braved a knee injury he sustained on Day 2 while keeping the wickets to pull off a rescue knock of 99 against New Zealand in the first Test. Pant ran hard between the wickets and shared a crucial partnership with his former Under-19 teammate Sarfaraz Khan to help India get rid of the big lead. However, towards the end of his knock, he struggled to run and even limped. As India lost the first Test by eight wickets, his presence in the team becomes even more crucial. But there is a question mark over whether he will be fit to play in Pune in the second Test starting October 24.
As per a report by the Indian Express, the selection committee led by Ajit Agarkar has left it to head coach Gautam Gambhir and Rohit Sharma whether to rest Pant or include him in the playing XI for the second Test after consulting the medical team.
Rohit wants to be 'extra careful' with Pant
After the defeat in the first session of Day 5, Rohit in the press conference admitted that there is a need to be 'extra careful' with his injury considering he had multiple surgeries in the knee after the unfortunate car accident.
“He’s had a lot of minor surgeries and one big surgery on his knee and went through a lot of trauma, to be honest, in the last one and a half years. So it’s just about being extra careful, not just careful with him,” Rohit told the reporters.
Pant did not keep the wickets after getting injured as Dhruv Jurel fulfilled the duties. While Pant does not need an invitation to play aggressive cricket, Rohit revealed that he was trying to play big shots due to his struggle with the knee.
“When you’re keeping, you have to bend every ball with your knee going down and the wicket being what it was, we thought it is the right thing to do for him to stay inside and then get 100 percent ready for the next one,” Rohit added.
“It’s just to be a little careful about where he is at and what he is to us. Even when he was batting, he was not comfortably running. He was trying to only put the ball in the stands.”
India’s options if team management rests Pant
Pant’s role is crucial especially starting next month when India tour Australia for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25. If Pant does not play, India have two options. They can persist with KL Rahul and ask him to keep the wickets or include Jurel in the side. On October 20, India’s squad for the remaining Test series was announced and Washington Sundar was included in the squad.
In addition, there is no clarity over whether Gill has regained fitness. The top-order was seen practicing in Bengaluru on Day 4 and 5. He faced deliveries from Mohammed Shami too who bowled in the nets under bowling coach Morne Morkel’s supervision with a heavily strapped knee.
