Former England cricketer David Lloyd accused Rishabh Pant of ‘milking’ his injury during the ongoing fourth Test at Old Trafford in Manchester. The Indian vice-captain suffered a toe fracture after being hit by a delivery from Chris Woakes on the first day of the Test match.
Although it was reported that Pant suffered a fracture on his right foot and unlikely to play any part in the game, the 27-year-old surprised everyone when he walked out to bat on the second day. Braving pain, Pant scored a fighting fifty before being cleaned up by Jofra Archer.
Lloyd’s comments came after a series conversations that went on at the ‘Legends Lounge’ at the Old Trafford stadium, stating not everyone was persuaded what Pant went through.
“I was present in that legends lounge today, and the consensus was, ‘He is milking that injury. It can’t be that severe. He has exaggerated it, coming down those steps,’” Lloyd told talkSPORT Cricket.
“One or two even suggested, ‘He should be timed out.’” “I’ve never experienced a metatarsal injury, which I believe is located in the foot. But I’ve played through a broken finger and suffered a smashed hand and fractured cheekbone, which kept me from batting,” added Lloyd.
What’s next for Rishabh Pant in England?
As things stand, Pant is unable to do wicket-keeping with Dhruv Jurel filling in his position in the Test match. The southpaw is expected to bat in the second innings too. But is highly unlikely that he will play in the fifth and final Test against England at The Oval, with Jurel replacing Pant. However, BCCI is also yet to update about the extent of Pant’s injury and how long it will take him to heal.
BCCI’s last update on Pant came on Thursday, which stated, “Rishabh Pant, who sustained an injury to his right foot on Day 1 of the Manchester Test, will not be performing wicket-keeping duties for the remainder of the match. Dhruv Jurel will assume the role of wicket-keeper. Despite his injury, Rishabh Pant has joined the team on Day 2 and will be available to bat as per team requirements.”
