Rishabh Pant declared fully fit, set to keep wickets in Manchester Test

In a major boost for the India National Cricket Team, Rishabh Pant has been declared fully fit and is all set to don the gloves in the must-win fourth Test of the ongoing five-match Test series against England at the Old Trafford Cricket Ground in Manchester, starting on July 23.

Rishabh Pant had already impressed with the bat earlier in the ongoing Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, but he could not keep wickets during India’s 22-run defeat in the third Test against England at Lord’s due to a hand injury.

Rishabh Pant fully fit, ready to keep wickets in the Manchester Test

However, Pant will take full charge behind the stumps in Manchester. In the viral images, India’s vice-captain and star wicketkeeper-batter was seen with his gloves as he was gearing up for the practice session at the Old Trafford Cricket Ground on Monday, July 21.

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A Times of India journalist posted, X: “Rishabh Pant has got his wicketkeeping gloves out. Should be good to go for the Manchester Test on Wednesday.”

Rishabh Pant has got his wicketkeeping gloves out. Should be good to go for Manchester Test on Wednesday

— Arani Basu (@AraniBasuTOI) July 21, 2025

Rishabh Pant is ready with the big gloves. pic.twitter.com/FBEpB5xcGM

— Sahil Malhotra (@Sahil_Malhotra1) July 21, 2025

Rishabh Pant’s finger blow hurts India at Lord’s

Meanwhile, Rishabh Pant had to leave the field during the second session on Day 1 of the third Test against England after getting hit on his left index finger at Lord’s. The wicketkeeper had suffered the injury when Jasprit Bumrah bowled one down the leg side in the 34th over, and Pant dived to his left in an attempt to stop the ball.

However, the Indian vice-captain got a hand on it; he couldn’t fully stop it, and England’s Joe Root and Ollie Pope took two runs, and that moment went against the touring side. Pant looked uncomfortable right away and was seen wincing in pain.

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The Indian physio came out to treat him, and play was briefly paused. Even after the game resumed, Pant kept shaking his hand in pain. Soon after Bumrah’s over ended, Pant walked off the field, and Dhruv Jurel stepped in as the substitute wicketkeeper for the rest of the Lord’s Test.

Despite the injury, the left-handed batter played a brilliant knock of 74 runs in the first innings, but things went worse in the second innings, and he could manage only 9 runs before being clean bowled by Jofra Archer as India lost the match by 22 runs and England took a 2-1 lead in the Test series.

Rishabh Pant set to make history in Manchester

Earlier, Pant had given a big update on his injury ahead of the fourth Test against England. On Sunday, he shared a 31-second video where he looked fully fit and was batting, fielding, and even playing football without any signs of discomfort as he was seen ready for the Manchester Test.

If calm had a sound, it would be this 🏏🔊#RP17 pic.twitter.com/q5EAxVA98W

— Rishabh Pant (@RishabhPant17) July 20, 2025

At Old Trafford, Pant will have a golden opportunity to create history. He is just three sixes away from breaking Virender Sehwag’s historic Test record. The explosive batter is currently tied for second place in the list of most sixes hit by an Indian in Test cricket, with a total of 88 sixes so far.

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If the Indian wicketkeeper-batter manages to hit three more in the fourth Test, he will become the Indian batter with the most sixes in Test history.