Pant's Heroic Performance with Fractured Foot
Manchester, Jul 24 (PTI) India all-rounder Shardul Thakur on Thursday lauded Rishabh Pant's "unmatched" courage and pain threshold after the latter came out to bat on day two of the fourth Test against England with a broken foot. Speaking to reporters, Shardul confirmed that Pant indeed suffered a fracture while batting on day one.
Medical Team's Efforts and Pant's Determination
"I think it was always our plan (to try and bring Pant to the middle). There were quite a few efforts from the medical team. So, yes, kudos to them," said Shardul referring to Pant's fifty that helped India post 358 in their first innings. "They could get Rishabh back onto the field. He could bat there for a while. And whatever he did, it's of course vital runs for the team he scored." "And yes, he was in a lot of pain. And we have seen him doing a lot of amazing things. And this was just another amazing thing that he did for the team today," added Shardul.
Teammates' Reaction and Historical Context
Shardul and the rest of his teammates were excited to see how Pant approached his innings after resuming at an overnight 37 when he retired hurt after copping a blow on his right foot while attempting a reverse sweep off England pacer Chris Woakes on Wednesday. "Everyone was very excited to see how he would approach for his innings. And I think what he showed today, the passion he showed for the team is unmatched. We have seen a lot of instances in the past when they have batted with fractures." "I think there was a time when Graeme Smith was batting in the South African team. His hand was fractured. So, in these moments, the grit of the player comes into play."
Pant's Pain Threshold and Mental Strength
"And I think Rishabh's positivity and his grit keeps him away from all the pains and whatever pain he has. His pain bearing capacity is very high. If he is in pain, it is a big injury," said Thakur. On Pant batting in the second innings, Thakur said: "That is his call and medical team's call. In the morning we thought maybe he will be able to bat. Earlier, I had to touch his feet and see if he was able to walk properly. If he is able to walk properly, then we can talk about batting." "When we reached the ground and were warming up up, he was not there. And then I went for batting. I don't know what happened after that. And I think there is a fracture," confirmed Thakur.
England's Perspective and Match Status
England opener Zak Crawley too was surprised to see Pant in the middle. "Not many people can do what Pant did today," said Crawley, who put England in a good position by sharing a 166-run opening stand with Ben Duckett. England ended the day at 225 for two with Ollie Pope and Joe Root in the middle.
This report includes content sourced from Press Trust of India (PTI), edited for clarity and context
