by Team India had to deal with an injury scare on Thursday when Rishabh Pant, the team’s star wicketkeeper-batsman, was hit on the knee during his keeper duties on the second day of the first Test against New Zealand. While New Zealand gained a strong lead, the Pant incident occurred on the last ball of Jadeja’s fifth over when Devon Conway missed a throw after sliding down the wicket.
Pant, who attempted a quick kick, failed to catch the ball cleanly as it hit his right knee, causing him to collapse in visible pain.
The physiotherapist was called immediately and Pant’s discomfort was evident as he winced while receiving medical attention on the pitch. After a brief break in play, Pant was helped to stand by the team’s physiotherapist, with India’s stand-in wicketkeeper Dhruv Jurel donning his pads and helmet to replace him.
As per ICC regulations, a substitute player can act as wicketkeeper with the approval of the umpires and Jurel took over behind the stumps as India tried to get back into the game.
Pant’s injury scare comes in only his third Test match since returning to the red-ball format following a horrific car accident in December 2022. The accident had caused severe damage to his right knee, which was bent at an angle of almost 90 degrees at the time of crash.
His return to cricket, first in the IPL 2024, then the T20 World Cup and later in India’s Test series against Bangladesh, marked a significant milestone in his recovery. Pant even scored an impressive century in his comeback Test series.
Earlier, India suffered a batting slump and were bowled out by 46 runs, their third-highest Test score of all time, with Pant top-scoring with 20 runs.
Pant was among the only two Indian batters to cross double figures in the first innings.
India 46 all out
It was a stunning collapse for the hosts, who decided to bat first on a tricky wicket. With Shubman Gill unavailable for selection due to stiff neck, Virat Kohli batted at number 3 while Sarfaraz Khan was included in the eleven; However, both were dismissed for a duck. In the Indian innings, five batters retired without contributing to the scorecard as the team posted the lowest score in home Tests.
