Rishabh Pant accused of cheating under the pretext of Injury vs England; ICC action demanded

Team India wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant returned to the crease during the first innings at Old Trafford in Manchester on Thursday, July 24, which sparked mixed reactions among former cricketers. While some praised his bravery, others stated that the left-handed batter exaggerated his injury.

Rishabh Pant had injured his right foot while attempting a reverse sweep. He was absent from the team bus the next morning due to a hospital visit. However, Pant rejoined the squad and walked out to bat following Shardul Thakur's dismissal. The southpaw battled pain and took injections and painkillers.

He added 17 runs to his overnight score of 37 before being dismissed by Jofra Archer. The wicketkeeper-batter received a standing ovation from the Old Trafford crowd. He completed his half-century and helped the team cross the 350-run mark.

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I Did Continue When I Had a Broken Finger - David Lloyd

Some former cricketers in the Legends Lounge at Old Trafford were unimpressed by the time Rishabh Pant took to return to the field after his injury. David Lloyd said that he wasn't familiar with metatarsal injuries but had played through serious ones like a broken finger.

"I’ve never had a metatarsal, which I think is somewhere in the foot, seeing Rishabh Pant. I have had a smashed hand against Andy Roberts and a broken cheekbone. I couldn't bat on after either, although I think I did continue when I had a broken finger" said Lloyd for talkSPORT Cricket.

Pretty Heroic of Rishabh Pant to Come Out - David Lloyd

David Lloyd acknowledged Rishabh Pant's courage in returning to bat despite visible discomfort. However, Lloyd revealed that some former players believed Pant exaggerated his injury and took too long to come out, with a few even feeling he should have been timed out.

"Pant looked in pain; pretty heroic of him to come out, though. Northerners, whether they are tough enough, but I was in that legends lounge today, and the consensus was 'He has milking that injury. It can’t be that bad. He's milked it, coming down those steps, and one or two said, 'He should be timed out,'" he added.

Pant’s injury sparked debate around allowing substitutes for external injuries in cricket. It turned the contest into an uneven battle, with India’s ten players against England’s full eleven.

I Am Pro Substitutes for External Injuries - David Lloyd

The current rules allow Dhruv Jurel to keep wickets in place of Rishabh Pant, but he cannot bat. However, David Lloyd backed allowing like-for-like substitutes for external injuries. He said that players with injuries, such as a fracture, should be replaced by someone with a similar role.

"I probably am against runners, but I am pro substitutes for an external injury. It opens up a can of worms, it really does. But if it is an external injury, a break, and medically he isn’t going to be fit for six weeks, you could have a like-for-like substitute. So that’s something else that you've got to consider. Not like replace a batter with a spinner though," he added.

Also read: India vs England Weather Report, Day 3- Manchester Test 2025