India wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant reflected on batting with a broken foot against England in the fourth Test of the five-match series at Old Trafford. He was batting on 37 when he tried to reverse-sweep a delivery from Chris Woakes and ended up missing it completely. The ball hit Pant straight on the right boot and he apeared to be in unbearable pain. He eventually had to be taken off the field on a golf cart and went to the hospital for scans.
Pant had sustained a fracture on his foot and it looked like he wouldn't be able to participate in the rest of the series let alone the match. However, in an incredible display of grit and determination, the wicketkeeper-batter took the field once again and resumed his innings on 37.
Pant's valiant half-century
Despite still being in a lot of pain, Pant went on to complete his half-century and added 17 runs to his and the team's total. He was eventually dismissed for 54 runs by Jofra Archer, but his innings helped India put up a big total of 358 on the board in their first innings. The match would eventually end in a draw as the series remained in England's favour at 2-1.
Pant has opened up about batting in a severe condition and highlighted that he decided to return to the crease as the series was at a crucial stage at that time.
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"The first innings was very crucial for us as the series was poised and we didn't wanted to leave any stone unturned. When I got hit, I couldn't think about much except pain and then I got taken to the hospital. We discussed about the injury and it indeed was a fracture. My finger had been snapped and there was a big gap," Pant said on Sports Tak.
"We discussed about what could be the worst-case scenario. The doctor told me that I would have to get a surgery in that case and then the injury would have taken 3-4 weeks to recover. But I wanted to play for India despite of my condition. I just had to be on the field no matter what and the doctors were very kind as they helped me by giving me injections and painkillers. Though my foot did get plastered, I took it off on the next day," he added.
Pant aims to regain fitness
Meanwhile, Pant had recently been ruled out of the ODI series against New Zealand that was played in January. He had been hit above the waist by a delivery during a practice session and that resulted in him sustaining an internal oblique muscular tear. He is yet to regain full fitness and will be looking to recover and get back into action as soon as possible.