IND vs NZ: Heavily strapped Rishabh Pant braves injury, comes out to bat on Day 4
India wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant braved his knee injruy and came out to bat at the start of play on Day 4 of the Bengaluru Test match. Pant, who was not able to take the field on Friday due to swelling on knee came out alongside Sarfaraz Khan, with India still trailing by 125 runs.
The wicketkeeper batter had been hit on the knee – in the area where he had multiple surgeries after his car accident – and was not able to take the field. He had to be replaced by Dhruv Jurel as the team’s wicketkeeper as Pant visibly winced in pain on the sidelines.
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According to the broadcaster’s visuals, Pant was heavily strapped on his right knee. In the early part of his innings, Pant was not seen moving rapidly in the crease, which might have been an indication of the tenderness still persisting in his knee.
At the end of Day 2’s play, India captain Rohit Sharma spoke about Rishabh Pant. The Indian captain said that Pant had been hit on the area where he had his surgery done and his muscles were a bit tender.
“Unfortunately, the knee. The ball went and hit straight on his knee cap, the leg which he had surgery on. So, he has got a little bit of swelling on it. The muscles are bit tender at this point of time. It’s a precautionary measure,” Rohit stated during the post-match press conference.
The worry surrounding Pant’s injury is compounded by the fact that he recently returned to competitive cricket after a 14-month rehabilitation process following the injuries he sustained in a severe car accident in 2022. Pant had been working hard to recover from a left knee injury, which required surgery.
Pant was India’s top scorer in the forgettable first innings in Bengaluru Test match. The left-hander had scored 20 off 49 in an innings where 5 Indian batters registered ducks.
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