New Delhi: India’s hopes took a heavy blow on the first day of the fourth Test at Old Trafford as Rishabh Pant was forced to retire hurt after suffering a painful foot injury. The incident occurred when Pant attempted a reverse sweep off Chris Woakes but inside-edged the ball onto his right foot. He looked in good touch on 37 when he suffered the blow.
Pant immediately collapsed in agony and was unable to put any weight on the injured foot as swelling became visible within minutes. The left-hander needed assistance from the physio and was eventually taken off the field using a golf cart with captain Shubman Gill checking on him at the medical facility before Pant was sent to a hospital for scans.
Hope nothing serious for Rishabh Pant pic.twitter.com/5EQfyGYzcM pic.twitter.com/r9P4TdPntp
— ᴅʜᴏɴɪ ʀᴀɪɴᴀ ᴛᴇᴀᴍ (@DhoniRainaTeam) July 23, 2025
A gloomy outlook from Shastri and Ponting
Former India head coach Ravi Shastri while speaking on commentary did not hold back his concern noting that Pant’s high pain threshold made the situation even more worrying. Shastri explained that overnight, the swelling could worsen despite icing and he hoped the scans would not reveal a fracture.
“Just seeing his face, grimacing there, it’s serious. It can only get worse overnight, no matter the amount of ice you put,” Shastri said, adding that he hoped it wasn’t a break or crack in Pant’s foot.
Ricky Ponting, who has also worked closely with Pant during their time at Delhi Capitals also expressed concern. Having suffered a metatarsal injury himself during his career, Ponting highlighted the immediate swelling as a worrying sign, saying, “He hardly put his foot on the ground. If it’s broken, he will be out. If it’s not, they will try everything to get him back.”
Impact on India’s campaign
Pant’s injury comes at a critical time for India as they have ended the day at 264/4 with Ravindra Jadeja and Shardul Thakur at the crease. While Pant had played cautiously, he had already shown glimpses of his aggressive style and his absence could hurt India’s chances in this must-win Test.
Liam Dawson, who was fielding nearby when the injury occurred, remarked that it was hard to see Pant playing further in this match. B Sai Sudharsan, who was at the non-striker’s end, confirmed the pain Pant was in acknowledging the significant void it would leave if he couldn’t return.
India waits on scan results
The BCCI confirmed that Pant was taken for scans with the medical team monitoring him closely. He had lready played through a finger injury sustained at Lord’s and now his latest setback raises concerns not just for this Test but also for the remainder of the series.
𝗨𝗽𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲:
Rishabh Pant was hit on his right foot while batting on Day 1 of the Manchester Test.
He was taken for scans from the stadium.
The BCCI Medical Team is monitoring his progress.
— BCCI (@BCCI) July 23, 2025
As India waits anxiously for the scan results, the team and fans alike will be hoping for positive news, knowing how critical Pant’s fearless batting and energy are to the team’s success in the longest format.