Rishabh Pant’s absence after the tea break on Day 1 of the 3rd Test at Lord’s left fans puzzled and worried, especially with no immediate update from the team.
Pant walked off the field after the 34th over, visibly in discomfort. He had taken a blow to his left index finger while collecting deliveries that had veered down the leg side from Jasprit Bumrah. At first, it didn’t look too serious—just one of those typical knocks wicketkeepers deal with. But when Pant didn’t return and Dhruv Jurel took over the gloves, concerns quickly grew.
Even head coach Gautam Gambhir seemed visibly alarmed. He was seen standing up on the Lord’s balcony and heading toward the dressing room right after Pant walked off.
Pant did get some on-the-spot treatment—a quick spray to ease the pain—but it wasn’t enough to get him back out. As the final session began, there was still no sign of him, and the silence from the Indian camp only added to the anxiety.
Michael Atherton Reveals Dressing Room Insight
It was former England captain Michael Atherton who offered the first update during commentary.
“Still no Rishabh Pant. News from the dressing room is that he has chipped a fingernail. He is receiving ice treatment,” Atherton shared.
BCCI Issues Official Statement
Shortly after, the BCCI addressed the issue with a brief statement:
“Team India vice-captain Rishabh Pant got hit on his left index finger. He is receiving treatment at the moment and is under the supervision of the medical team. Dhruv Jurel is currently keeping wickets in Rishabh’s absence.”
While that sounds like a minor injury, history suggests such mid-match updates often hint at something more serious. And this time, it’s especially concerning because it involves Pant—one of India’s most in-form players this series.
Big Concern for India
Pant has been India’s second-highest run-scorer in the ongoing Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, only behind captain Shubman Gill. In the first two Tests—at Leeds and Birmingham—he piled up 342 runs, including back-to-back centuries at Headingley. That performance made him the first Indian wicketkeeper to score twin hundreds in a Test match, even though India lost that game.
At Edgbaston, Pant scored 25 in the first innings and a crucial 65 in the second, helping India shift gears and post a challenging target of 336 for England.
An injury at this stage, especially to someone carrying India’s middle-order, could seriously impact their chances in this crucial Test—and possibly the rest of the series.
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