Recovering from a fractured toe in the Manchester Test, Rishabh Pant stays busy by making pizza. Though sidelined for the final England Test, he kept fans entertained with his cooking adventures while focusing on his recovery.
India Test vice-captain and wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant has found out way to keep himself productive after fracturing his toe. Pant sustained an injury on his right foot in the first innings of India’s batting in the fourth Test of the recently concluded five-match series against England at Old Trafford in Manchester.
Pant was writhing in pain and called for immediate medical attention, and then left the field as he was unable to walk or stand, retiring hurt on 37 off 46 balls. The 27-year-old underwent scans, which reportedly revealed a fractured toe on his right foot. Despite a foot injury, Rishabh Pant walked out to bat to massive applause from the Manchester crowd and carried on his innings, scoring a valiant 54 off 75 balls, including 3 fours and 2 sixes.
Rishabh Pant was ruled out of the fifth and final Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy at The Oval, which the Shubman Gill-led Team India pulled off a thrilling six-run win to draw the Test series.
Rishabh Pant turns chef to make pizza
Though still recovering from his fractured toe sustained during the Manchester Test, Rishabh Pant engaged himself by making pizza. In a video posted by Pant on his X handle (formerly Twitter), he can be seen wearing the apron and limping towards the kitchen counter, where he tries his hand at making pizza with the help of a chef.
Rishabh Pant hilariously stated that the only thing he can do when his toe is fractured is make pizza. He also speculated how his brother would react to him making pizza.
“Today I’m going to show you how to make pizza, guys. Bear with me. I think I’m going to make a vegetarian pizza. I like vegetarian. I think if I make more pizzas, I’ll be sorted. It’s hot in here, boys. The pizza is getting ready. I’m going to wait for it. That’s the only thing I can do with a broken foot, make pizza.” Pant said in a video.
“My brother must be thinking ‘ghar pe toh kuch banaya nahin hai. Yahan pizza bana raha hai” (I haven’t cooked anything at home. I’m making pizza here), he added.
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Apart from a foot injury, Rishabh Pant also sustained an injury on his fingertips during the Lord’s Test. He was sidelined from wicketkeeping duties, but batted, as he scored 74 and 9 in both innings of the third Test, which India heartbreakingly fell 23 runs short of achieving a 193-run target, despite Ravindra Jadeja’s valiant, unbeaten innings of 61 off 181 balls.
Rishabh Pant is no stranger to injuries as he sustained severe injuries on his back and leg after near near-fatal car crash on the Delhi-Dehradun National Highway on the night before the New Year. Pant was on the sidelines for 15 months before making a comeback to IPL 2023.
Rishabh Pant’s likely comeback to competitive
There is no confirmation on Rishabh Pant’s return to the field after sustaining a fractured toe in the Manchester Test. However, it was reported that Pant is likely to be ruled out of action for six weeks to recover from injury.
Therefore, Rishabh Pant is unlikely to be picked for the Asia Cup 2025, and there is uncertainty over his participation in the home Test series against West Indies on October 2. Following recovery from a foot injury, Pant is likely to check into the BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE) to undergo rehabilitation and specialized physiotherapy to regain full fitness before returning to competitive cricket.
Since there is still over a month left for the Test series against West Indies, the BCCI selectors will be hoping for Rishabh Pant to recover fully in time and regain match fitness.
Meanwhile, Rishabh Pant was among the standout performers for Team India in the Test series against England, as he amassed 479 runs, including 2 centuries and as many fifties, at an average of 68.42 in seven innings.