Rishabh Pant left the field after being hit in the knee while keeping on day two of India’s first Test match against New Zealand today (October 17), with Dhruv Jurel subbed in to replace him behind the stumps.
The incident happened in the evening session of day two, with Devon Conway and Rachin Ravindra batting and New Zealand already boasting a lead of 97. Ravindra Jadeja made a breakthrough off the third ball of his fifth over, dismissing Will Young caught at short fine leg. Off the final ball of that over, Jadeja sent down a flatter delivery to Conway, which he missed having advanced down the wicket.
Pant was unable to collect the ball cleanly and complete the stumping, instead falling to the floor after the ball thudded into his right knee. The physio was called out onto the field to assess him, with Pant visibly in discomfort, wincing in pain. After a break in play, Pant was helped off the field by the physio, with Jurel running on in his pads and helmet as a sub.
The ICC’s Test match regulations in respect to substitute fielders specify: “A substitute shall not bowl or act as captain but may act as wicketkeeper only with the consent of the umpires.”
Pant is playing in his third Test back in India’s red ball side since his serious car crash in December 2022. The crash caused particular damage to his right knee, which, according to the doctors who treated him, was lying at an almost 90 degree angle to its normal position following the crash. Pant was able to return to professional cricket during the 2024 IPL, over a year after the crash, before making his return to Test cricket last month in India’s series against Bangladesh. He scored a memorable second innings hundred in the first Test, hitting 109 off 128 deliveries.
India were bowled out for their third lowest total ever in Test cricket earlier in the day against New Zealand. Pant top scored with 20 off 49 in their total of 46 all out, with five players dismissed for ducks.
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