Shubman Gill confirms Rishabh Pant will return as wicketkeeper-batter for the crucial 4th Test vs England. Despite injury concerns, Pant will keep wickets. Gill also ruled out Akash Deep, Arshdeep Singh, and Nitish Reddy due to unavailability.
Team India captain Shubman Gill ended speculations around vice-captain Rishabh Pant’s availability as wicketkeeper for the fourth Test of the five-match series against England at Old Trafford on Wednesday, July 23.
There was uncertainty over Pant’s participation in the fourth Test as wicketkeeper after he sustained an injury on his left index finger during keeping duties on Day 1 of the Lord’s Test, with Dhruv Jurel stepping in as his substitute. Though southpaw was sidelined from donning the gloves behind the stumps, he walked in to bat and scored 81 runs across both innings, including a gritty 74 off 112 balls in the third Test.
Amid Team India’s practice session at Kent County Cricket Ground in Beckenham, assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate hinted at the possibility of playing Rishabh Pant purely as a batter for the Manchester Test. Former head coach Ravi Shastri opposed playing Pant as a ‘specialist batter’, given the risk of getting injured while fielding.
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Rishabh Pant to play as wicketkeeper-batter
Speaking at the press conference on the eve of the Manchester Test, Shubman Gill confirmed Rishabh Pant’s availability as wicketkeeper-batter for the crucial Test.
“Rishabh Pant will keep wickets tomorrow.” Indian skipper said.
The hint of Rishabh Pant's availability to keep wickets rather than playing purely as a batter came after a video went viral on social media, where the vice-captain can be seen doing wicketkeeping practice, confirming his chances of donning the gloves for the Manchester Test.
Rishabh Pant has been in incredible form in his third Test tour of England. The 27-year-old has amassed 425 runs, including two centuries and as many fifties, at an average of 70.83 in six innings. Pant is the first visiting wicketkeeper to aggregate over 400 runs in a Test series against England in England.
Gill confirms Akash Deep’s unavailability for the Manchester Test
Shubman Gill confirmed that Akash Deep has been ruled out of the fourth Test of the five-match series. Akash became the latest to be unavailable for the Manchester Test after Arshdeep Singh. All-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy has been ruled out of the remainder of the series due to knee injury.
“Nitish Reddy has been ruled out of the series. Akash Deep and Arshdeep Singh have been ruled out of the 4th Test match. But we have great players in the team and we will focus on how to take 20 wickets,” Gill said at the press conference.
Akash Deep was one of the instrumental players behind India’s historic victory at Edgbaston. The 28-year-old has picked 10 wickets across both innings, including a six-wicket haul in the first innings, to help India clinch a 336-run victory over England.
However, Akash sustained a groin injury on Day 4 of the Lord’s Test. Though he returned to the field after receiving treatment, he did not bowl. The Bengal pacer did not bowl in the nets session in Beckenham, but had bowled during the practice session in Manchester.
