MUMBAI: India's star wicketkeeper batter Rishabh Pant is racing against time to be fit for the two-Test series against West Indies, which will begin with the first Test at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad from October 2. Pant has returned to India and consulted medical specialists in Mumbai but will have to hope for a very speedy recovery to take the field in Ahmedabad.
Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!“He is targeting a return for the series against the West Indies, but that seems unlikely. Even though he’s trying his best, the chances of his return for the West Indies series are 50:50. The more realistic possibility is that he will return to action with the white-ball series against Australia, which will kick off with the first ODI on Oct 19 in Perth. Pant’s injured foot is still strapped. It will take two weeks before he starts batting in the nets,” a reliable source told TOI.
On Day 1 of the fourth Test vs England at Old Trafford in Manchester, the left-hander fractured his foot while trying to reverse sweep a Chris Woakes delivery. He couldn't continue batting after the blow, underwent first aid at the medical centre of the ground but gallantly walked out to bat the next day of the crucial fixture. He added some useful runs for the side but the 27-year-old may have slightly aggravated his injury a bit in the process, thus delaying the recovery.
“Typically, these fractures take six weeks to heal and another two weeks to regain fitness. If however, you have not had the opportunity to immediately rest (plaster or splint it) and had to run on it, this will delay the recovery a bit,” a source said.
Pant has been away from action since then as he missed the fifth Test at The Oval and wasn't available for
Asia Cup selection. It now remains to be seen when the youngster can regain fitness and get return to play clearance from the BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE).
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