Manchester Test: Call his batting foolhardy or heroic, but you can't ignore Pant's chutzpah

Rishabh Pant warmed the hearts of cricket followers world over when he walked out to bat with a fractured metatarsal in the fourth Test of the ongoing series against England. He suffered the injury on the first day when he attempted to reverse sweep a Chris Woakes delivery.

The impact of the cricket ball on his toe after taking the edge of his willow caused a compound fracture of a metatarsal bone in his right foot, forcing Pant to retire hurt on 37. There were reports that he was ruled out of taking part in the Test any further. When Pant was seen walking to the dressing room wearing a calf-length moon boot, rumours spread that the team management was in the process of asking for a replacement for the remaining portion of the series. He was in the hospital when play started on the second day, and no one thought that he would make a re-entry to Old Trafford to take part in this Test.

Hence, there was a collective gasp of disbelief when Pant walked out at the fall of the sixth Indian wicket, during the first session of play on the third day. He was barely able to walk when play closed on the previous day and here he was, walking in to take on England bowlers. The opposition could only stare incredulously when they saw Pant approach the crease, and they even appeared to be at a loss for ideas on how to treat him when he took guard. Even Washington Sundar, the other batsman at the crease, looked shocked seeing Pant join him in the middle.

But Pant started running singles, making light of this injury, which would have kept a normal human being tied down to bed for at least one week. He tackled the bouncers and yorkers and even pulled Jofra Archer for a sixer over midwicket. He completed his half century before he became the ninth Indian batsman to be dismissed, clean bowled by Archer, with the score at 349. 

Standing ovation

Pant’s action was hailed by critics, who were stunned by the young man's ability to fulfil his responsibilities for his side and the country, even while bearing severe pain. Some called it foolhardy, but even they could not hide their admiration for the wicket-keeper batsman's chutzpah. A couple of them even wondered whether Pant had “milked” his injury to avoid an appeal for “Timed Out”. But the sell-out crowd at Old Trafford made their appreciation loud and clear by giving Pant a standing ovation, cheering him all the way to the wicket. 

It was evident that Pant was not forced to bat by the team management. This was not a situation where the side needed him to pad up and take the bat to save the Test. The decision to walk to the middle, braving the fractured toe, was Pant’s alone, and there was very little that either the captain or the coach could have done to prevent him from doing so. Pant had demonstrated his capacity to brave excruciating pain when he batted with an elbow injury at Sydney in 2021 and played a memorable knock of 97. He again showed this fighting spirit of his when he came back to the game after an accident that nearly took his life. And this effort at Old Trafford was in keeping with his display of undying zeal and commitment to the sport that has made him what he is today.

Pant's not alone

Pant's heroics brought back memories of past instances where players had braved severe injuries to return and continue playing in a Test match. Most of these instances occurred when their services were required to save a match, and they invariably walked out as the last batsman or close to that position, in a desperate attempt to avoid defeat. 

Graeme Smith of South Africa, who suffered a fracture to his hand in the Sydney Test against in 2009, and Colin Cowdrey, who broke his arm while facing the West Indian fast bowlers at Lord’s in 1963, came out to bat in the last innings of the match at the fall of the ninth wicket. Smith survived for some time but could not prevent his side from losing, while Cowdrey only needed to watch from the bowler’s end while the other batsman survived the last two balls to save the match for England. 

Malcolm Marshall, the legendary West Indies speedster, too did something similar, at Leeds in 1984. But he did come out to save the Test; his intention was to give company to Larry Gomes, who was nearing a century. Marshall survived a dozen balls and fulfilled his objective as Gomes completed a well-deserved hundred. 

In the centenary Test between England and Australia at Melbourne in 1977, Rick McCosker broke his jaw while attempting to hook a bouncer from Bob Willis in the first innings. McCosker, an opening batsman, came out to bat in the second innings at number 10 and added 54 runs for the ninth wicket with Rodney Marsh. These runs turned out to be vital as Australia won the Test by a margin of 45 runs! 

In the history of Indian cricket, there are two instances where bowlers continued to play despite suffering severe injuries. The picture of Anil Kumble bowling with his face swathed in bandages in the Antigua Test of 2002 remains etched in Indian cricket fans' minds. Batting first in this Test, India made 513, with Kumble contributing only six runs. But he was struck on his face by a vicious bouncer from Mervyn Dillon during his short stint at the crease. He was rushed to the hospital, where it was found that he had broken his jaw, which had to be wired through a surgical procedure. The team management decided that Kumble should return home at the earliest as he was not in a condition to continue playing competitive cricket. 

But when the West Indies batted, Kumble took the field with a bandage that prevented him from even opening his mouth. He braved severe pain and sent down 14 overs and even dismissed the great Brian Lara, who was trapped in front of the wicket. Kumble returned to India after the third day of this match and did not take any further part in this series. When he was asked the reason behind taking the field despite being injured, Kumble nonchalantly replied that he did not wish to let down the batsmen who had toiled hard to put up a big total on the scoreboard! 

Another instance where an Indian bowler played with a fractured toe took place during the Melbourne Test of 1981. India were trailing Australia 0-1 in the three-Test series when the teams met at Melbourne for the last match. The visitors had to win this game to level the series. Dilip Doshi, the left-arm spinner,  injured his toe, which caused a spiral fracture of the first metatarsal bone of his left foot during the match against Queensland ahead of the third Test. He was advised complete rest by the doctor. However, Doshi refused to heed this advice and decided to play in Melbourne, hiding his injury from his captain, Sunil Gavaskar, and the team management.

Doshi bowled 74 overs in this match, and in the last innings, when the hosts had a target of 124 runs, he kept one end tight, in addition to picking up the wickets of Graeme Wood and Kim Hughes, both outstanding spin bowlers. Doshi broke the news of his injury to the team only after the Test ended, which did not amuse his skipper at all! Incidentally, Kapil Dev, who took 5 wickets on the last day of this Test, was also down with a muscle tear and took the field only with the help of pain-killing injections. Thus India’s historic win at Melbourne was a gift from these two tough and battle-hardened players, who braved injury and pain for the sake of the side and the nation.

There will be winners and losers so long as a sport is played. However, players who overcome intense physical discomfort and severe pain to continue participating in the game attain the status of legendary figures, and they remain etched in the memories of the sport's followers forever.

His innings at Old Trafford might have resulted only in 54 runs being added to the Indian total; but his action electrified millions of followers of cricket the world over. 

We salute you, Rishabh Pant! You are a true hero.