Credit: ICC
In the fourth Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy in Manchester, India wicketkeeper batter Rishabh Pant was seen in discomfort due to a fractured toe but when he returned to bat, he displayed valiance and went on to notch up his 18th red-ball half-century. Riding on the southpaw’s 54 off 75, the visitors succeeded in posting a fine total of 358 in 114.1 overs. Pant’s efforts are getting lauded by Team India supporters but former England batter David Lloyd has made a bizarre remark on the 27-year-old.
The ex-England player revealed that the consensus in the Legends Lounge at Old Trafford was that the India stumper was "milking" the injury as it can’t be as bad as it looks like. Lloyd also asserted that several people wanted Pant to be declared "timed out."
"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,'" said Lloyd while speaking to talkSPORT Cricket.
Rishabh Pant’s injury brings up the substitutes debate in cricket
Rishabh Pant’s injury has also brought up a debate over utilisation of substitutes in the game for external injuries. Lloyd said that he is in favour of such a guideline reform in the sport. "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," added Lloyd.
In Pant’s absence, Dhruv Jurel is handling the responsibility of stumper during India’s bowling in the first innings. Pant contracted a thumb injury in the third Test, while in the fourth Test, he got hit on the toe after a slower delivery from Chris Woakes.
