MANCHESTER, England :A gutsy half century from the injured Rishabh Pant helped India post 358 in their first innings on Thursday’s day two of the fourth test against England, with captain Ben Stokes’ first five-wicket haul in eight years boosting the hosts’ hopes of victory.
Pant retired hurt on Wednesday trying an audacious reverse scoop shot and went to hospital for scans, with India’s cricket board later saying he could not wicketkeep for the rest of the match but would be available to bat.
After England removed Ravindra Jadeja and Shardul Thakur in the morning session, Pant received a standing ovation as he limped down the steps and onto the field, helping see India through to lunch on day two on 321-6.
Running between the wickets was difficult, but Pant, effectively on one leg, pulled out the big shots in the afternoon session, slogging Jofra Archer for six before moving past fifty, his 19th in test cricket, with another boundary.
After Stokes had removed Washington Sundar for 27 and debutant Anshul Kamboj without scoring, Archer ended Pant’s resistance, sending the injured wicketkeeper’s off stump flying having battled to his courageous 54.
Archer snared the final wicket of Jasprit Bumrah to bring India’s innings to an end.
