Day 2 of the fourth Test between India and England at Old Trafford in Manchester is under a cloud of uncertainty, with weather forecasts predicting potential rain interruptions and concerns mounting over the injury sustained by Indian wicket-keeper batsman, Rishabh Pant.
India ended Day 1 at 264/4, with Shardul Thakur and Ravindra Jadeja at the crease. The start of the day saw India put in to bat by England after losing the toss. Openers KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal batted resolutely to see off the morning session, putting on a partnership of 78. However, England fought back, reducing India to 140/3. Sai Sudharsan, who top-scored for India with 61, then partnered with Rishabh Pant to steady the innings.
The biggest concern for India is the injury to Rishabh Pant. Pant was forced to retire hurt after a painful blow to his right foot. The incident occurred when Pant attempted a reverse sweep off a delivery from Chris Woakes, and the ball struck him on the toe. Although a review showed a faint inside edge that saved Pant from being dismissed, he was visibly in pain and was taken off the field on a golf cart.
The severity of Pant's injury is still unknown, but there are fears that it could be serious enough to rule him out for the remainder of the Test and potentially the series. Former England captain Michael Atherton expressed serious concern, suggesting that Pant's absence would be a "massive blow" to India. According to reports, Pant may have sustained a metatarsal fracture. Ricky Ponting also noted the immediate swelling on Pant's foot as a cause for concern, stating that such injuries can be fragile. Sai Sudharsan mentioned that the team is expecting a formal update on Pant's condition.
Former England captain Michael Vaughan has suggested that India should be allowed a substitute for Pant, given the severity of the injury. Vaughan argued that it is unfair for a team to play with only 10 players for the remainder of the match due to an unfortunate injury. However, Alastair Cook seemed to disagree with Vaughan, questioning where the line would be drawn regarding when a player should be replaced for discomfort.
As Day 2 begins, all eyes will be on Ravindra Jadeja and Shardul Thakur, who will need to build a substantial partnership to take India to a strong total. The possible absence of Pant will put extra responsibility on the remaining batsmen. Additionally, the weather forecast indicates a high probability of rain, which could further disrupt play and impact the match.
