India‘s vice-captain Rishabh pant was forced to retire hurt after sustaining an injury to his right foot on Day 1 of the fourth Test against England at Old Trafford, Manchester. The incident unfolded in the 68th over when Pant attempted a reverse sweep against Chris Woakes but inside-edged the ball onto his boot.

Initially, England went up in appeal for LBW and even opted for a review, but UltraEdge confirmed a clear inside edge. However, Pant had already begun showing signs of serious discomfort, taking off his gloves and hobbling around the crease before collapsing in pain.

The severity of the blow was evident as the Indian team’s medical staff rushed to assist. Umpires called for a drinks break, during which Pant’s pads, sock, and boot were removed to assess the damage. Swelling and a visible blood spot on the side of his right foot raised immediate concern, and the decision was made to retire him hurt.

Unable to stand or put weight on the injured foot, Pant was wheeled off the field in a buggy amid applause from the crowd. He was batting on 37 off 48 balls at the time and had looked in promising touch before the unfortunate mishap.

Another setback in injury-riddled series for India

Pant’s injury adds to India’s growing list of fitness concerns in the series. Prior to the Test, pacers Akash Deep and Arshdeep Singh were ruled out, prompting the inclusion and debut of Anshul kamboj. Notably, Pant had only recently recovered from a finger injury suffered at Lord’s, which had prevented him from donning the wicketkeeping gloves.

Despite the injury scare, India ended the day in a strong position at 264/4. Youngster Sai Sudharsan shone brightly, crafting a confident 61 before being dismissed by Ben Stokes. All-rounders Ravindra Jadaja (19*) and Shardul Thakur (19*) held firm till stumps, ensuring India closed the day with momentum intact.