Colombo: India wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant was forced to retire hurt after copping a painful blow to his left wrist off a sharp bouncer from Sri Lanka fast bowler Lahiru Kumara on day one of the second Test at the Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC) Ground Sunday.
The incident occurred in the ongoing final session when on the very first ball of the 58th over Kumara was introduced back into the attack. Operating from round the wicket, he banged one in short that angled into the body. Pant, attempting to step across to the off side and pull behind square, was through his shot early and took a blow on his left wrist.
The ball dribbled down the leg side towards wicketkeeper Niroshan Dickwella, with Pant immediately down in severe discomfort having taken the hit on the wrist bone, just below his left forearm. Play was halted for a considerable duration as the Indian team physio Kamlesh Jain rushed to the field with an ice pack to prevent swelling.
After an extended assessment and treatment, brief taping was applied to Pant’s wrist before it was swiftly removed. But following a discussion with the match umpires and the pain not reducing, Pant was forced to walk off the field after having scored three off 15 balls.
Senior left-arm spin bowling all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja came out to bat at number six in place of the injured Pant, and joined half-centurion Devdutt Padikkal in the middle. The extent of Pant’s injury and whether he will come out to bat again is yet to be officially confirmed by the Indian team management.
After going off the field, Pant sat in the dugout and got further attention from team doctor Charles Minz, with Jurel also looking towards his injured left wrist. Last year, Pant was forced to retire hurt after suffering a right foot fracture off a delivery from Chris Woakes in the Manchester Test, but later came back to hit a valiant fifty.
