Manchester [UK], July 25 : Former cricketers Ravi Shastri and Dinesh Karthik paid a heart-stirring tribute to vice-captain Rishabh Pant for his "special" act of coming out to bat for India with an injured right foot on the second day of the fourth Test against England in Manchester.
After brushing away a finger injury concern in the third Test, Pant stepped on the crease under the gloomy sky of Manchester. In the 68th over on the opening day, Pant went to reverse sweep Chris Woakes but sustained a blow on his foot.
The swelling was visible immediately, and blood dripped slowly when Pant removed his boot. The pain was intense and visible on his face. He retired hurt on 37(54) at that time, couldn't walk back and went off the ground on a golf buggy.
On the second day, Pant shocked everyone. Just before lunch, India stood at 314/6. The explosive southpaw, geared up, walked back to the crease and was greeted with resounding applause from the spectators.
"Before the Test, I asked How is your finger? Is it broken? Will you play? He said, Of course, I will play this game. Even if it was broken, I would have played. For him to come back and do what he did was something special. Sometimes your motivation goes to another level. What he did today for the team, if that doesn't lift the team, nothing will," Shastri said in a video posted by the BCCI.
In his surprise return, Pant pulled the ball with sheer power and hammered his 90th six in Test cricket to go level with Virender Sehwag, India's highest six-hitter in the format. He topped it up by driving the ball away for a four to bring up a hard-fought half-century.
"The ovation he got going out, the ovation he got coming back, and the applause he got from everyone in the England team out there, that's what you live for, that's what you play for, and that's what makes heroes. It just shows now what he has done; he wants to play. He loves playing Test cricket and loves playing for his country. If anyone doubted he was ever a team man, they got to see it firsthand today," he added.
England tearaway Jofra Archer pulled the curtain down on Rishabh's resistance at 54(75) by sending his off-stump cartwheeling in the air with a rip-roaring delivery. Karthik feels that Pant, who seemingly batted on one foot for the majority of his extended stay, is a moment that will last for a long time, which propelled India to a total of 358.
"One thing that is for sure is that England loves Rishabh Pant. But still being out there getting those 16-18 runs is always inspirational. In sports, there are certain moments which will live for a long time, and that felt like a moment that he was there in the ground that will last for a long time. Showing that he cares, and he wants to win the series and wants to make a difference, was brilliant to watch," Karthik said.
India batting stalwart Cheteshwar Pujara summed up Pant's heroics and said, "We need players like him who can step up in difficult moments. He showed a lot of courage to come out and bat despite having so much pain. Every step he was walking down, he was walking down he was in a lot of pain. He showed a lot of character, it is not easy to come out there and show that fight and willingness to do for the country."