Rishabh Pant‘s return to the middle was cut short by an injury scare on Day 1 of the second Test between India and Sri Lanka at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo. The wicketkeeper-batter was struck on the wrist while attempting a pull shot against pacer Lahiru Kumara, leaving him in visible discomfort and eventually forcing him to walk off the field retired hurt.
Rishabh Pant struck while attempting pull shot
The incident occurred during the 58th over of India’s innings. Kumara bowled a short delivery, prompting Pant to attempt his trademark pull shot. However, the batter failed to connect cleanly and the ball instead hit his glove and wrist. Pant immediately appeared to be in pain and took some time before making a decision on whether he could continue. India’s support staff attended to him, with the physio applying an ice pack to the affected area in an attempt to control any swelling.
After a lengthy stoppage, Pant was unable to carry on and eventually left the field. Ravindra Jadeja was sent out to replace him, while Pant remained unbeaten on 0. The nature and extent of Pant’s injury were not immediately clear, leaving the Indian camp with an anxious wait over his availability for the remainder of the Test.
India recover after early setbacks
Pant’s injury came during a promising period for India, who had recovered strongly after losing two important wickets during the opening session. Shubman Gill and Devdutt Padikkal put together a substantial third-wicket partnership to steady the visitors’ innings. The pair added 120 runs, taking India towards a strong position before Gill was dismissed shortly before the tea interval.
Gill looked composed throughout his innings and brought up a well-made half-century. His strokeplay was particularly assured against the Sri Lankan spinners, with a short-arm pull off Prabath Jayasuriya racing away to the boundary. Gill’s innings eventually ended when he edged Asitha Fernando through to wicketkeeper Niroshan Dickwella.
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Devdutt Padikkal continues impressive form
At the other end, Padikkal remained unbeaten on 63 at tea and once again showed why he has emerged as an important part of India’s batting plans. The left-hander had a shaky start and was given an early reprieve after Sri Lanka captain Dhananjaya de Silva dropped a chance at backward point off spinner Keshara Nuwantha.
Padikkal made Sri Lanka pay for the missed opportunity. Once settled, he began finding the gaps regularly and attacked the bowlers with confidence. His half-century came from 90 deliveries, with a fierce pull against Kumara among the standout strokes of his innings. India reached 187 for three at tea, with Padikkal holding one end together. However, the focus remained firmly on Pant, with the Indian team expected to assess his wrist before determining whether he can return to the field later in the match.
