ENG vs IND 2025: 'Who would've thought Pant come in to bat injured?' - Sanjay Manjrekar

Former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar expressed the view that it was Rishabh Pant’s personal decision to come out and bat on Day 2 of the fourth Test against England, despite having sustained a fracture on his right foot on the previous day. He ruled out the possibility that head coach Gautam Gambhir or captain Shubman Gill had any role in encouraging Pant to take the field under such circumstances.

Pant had injured himself on Day 1 while attempting a reverse sweep to a yorker-length delivery from Chris Woakes. The ball struck his foot, causing him considerable pain. He was subsequently taken off the field and later transported to a hospital for scans. Medical reports reportedly recommended a rest period of six weeks, which would have effectively ruled him out of the match.

However, despite the advice and his physical discomfort, Pant returned to bat following the dismissal of Shardul Thakur during the first session on Day 2. He went on to complete a gritty half-century, helping India cross the 350-run mark. Manjrekar noted that when footage showed Pant in the dressing room, engaged in conversation with Gambhir, he initially assumed Pant might come out as the final batter, if at all. He admitted to being surprised when Pant walked out immediately after Thakur’s wicket.

“When Pant was there with Gautam Gambhir, having a chat, we thought there was a chance that he might come in maybe at the end of the Innings, and the kind of demeanour that he had in the dressing room is such a hard man to read. Who would have thought that he would be coming into bat at the fall of the next wicket? He hasn't looked like he did before the injury, and Ben Stokes, the first ball that he bowled to him was a yorker. He was going for that front foot, ankle off stump,” said the ex-India batter on JioHotstar during the Tea break on Day 2.

“That's how cricket has to be. But now we have to cast our minds back to batters of certain pedigree and class who have hobbled onto the middle, have done some wondrous things in cricket. And don't rule that out with this guy, because this is the guy. You know, it is said that one day you can't move your feet, you can only bat with your bat. He's got such wonderful hand-eye coordination that he'll still be able to dominate. So England would be worried that it was shut down. Go back, you know, even though he looked really clearly in pain,” he added.

Rishabh Pant limps out to bat amid huge roar in 4th Test

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Rishabh Pant limps out to bat amid huge roar in 4th Test

Pant’s grit reminds of Kumble in 2002: Manjrekar

He also drew a comparison between Pant’s courageous act with Anil Kumble. He recalled how Kumble had famously bowled with a broken jaw during the 2002 Antigua Test against the West Indies. The injury had occurred on Day 2 of the match, when Kumble was struck on the jaw by a bouncer from Mervyn Dillon while batting. The leg-spinner took the wicket of Brian Lara despite being heavily injured.

“Because today, it doesn't matter whether you made the contribution now or you will make it later. I think it'll come out in the second innings. What he's thinking is 'I'm out for the next Test, and I don't know when I'm going to play for India next. So, might as well go out there and get things done.' And this has been him on his own deciding I'm going to go out there, and he must have enjoyed his time until the injury, and when you do things like this, gestures like this with Anil Kumble with the jaw strapped up, those are moments in history that you remember 50 years from now,” Manjrekar said.

Pant wants to leave a mark in Tests

The cricketer-turned-commentator stated that he saw no possibility of anyone in the Indian dressing room urging Pant to bat, and maintained that the decision appeared to be entirely Pant’s own. He also felt that the act reflected Pant’s deep passion for Test cricket.

“I can't imagine Gautam Gambhir or the captain pleading with him or sussing him out whether he would be going out there because that would help India. Because it's too much to ask, and I forgot about the finger injury because of this. He's got that as well to worry about. But he was very keen to play this test match, and he had the option of playing only as a batter because Jurel is there as an optional keeper, and KL Rahul is as well,” the former India cricketer added.

“So this shows how keen Pant is to turn up for India, and something about, I guess, Tests to get where it's being played, look at the amount of attention that you get as a cricketer when you play Test cricket in England. So this is where he wants to, you know, give his best. If you wonder why he hasn't quite made the same impact in white ball cricket, maybe this is the reason why, because he wants to leave a mark on this format more than the others,” Manjrekar concluded.