Rishabh Pant gave India a brief injury scare ahead of the first Test against South Africa in Kolkata, after retiring hurt while batting for India A in Bengaluru. During the first session of day three, Pant was struck three times — on the helmet, elbow, and abdomen — by South Africa A pacer Tshepo Moreki, forcing him to leave the field on 17 off 22 balls in the 34th over of India A’s second innings.
Pant, who came in at No. 5 after KL Rahul was dismissed early, started aggressively with boundaries off Okuhle Cele but soon struggled against a barrage of short deliveries. The first hit came when a short ball from Moreki struck his helmet as he attempted a reverse pick-up shot, leading to an immediate concussion check. Later, he was hit on the right elbow, which required taping and pain-relief spray, and finally on the abdomen, after which coach Hrishikesh Kanitkar and the physios decided to retire him hurt as a precaution.
Pant had recently returned to competitive cricket after recovering from a fractured toe suffered during the India-England Test in July. He underwent surgery and spent two months in rehab at the BCCI Centre of Excellence before resuming training in September. His comeback had been promising, highlighted by a 90 in the first four-day match against South Africa A last week.
With India’s two-Test series against South Africa starting November 14 in Kolkata and the second match in Guwahati, Pant’s fitness will be closely monitored. India currently sit third in the World Test Championship standings, while South Africa are fifth, making the upcoming series crucial for both sides.
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