India’s batting coach Sitanshu Kotak confirmed that injured wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant will bat on Day 5 of the Manchester Test against England, as the visitors attempt to salvage a draw after a tough Day 4.
Pant, who fractured his right foot on Day 1 and has not been keeping wickets, displayed remarkable grit in the first innings, scoring a crucial half-century despite his injury.
India ended Day 4 still trailing by 137 runs, despite a spirited 174-run partnership between KL Rahul and Shubman Gill, which offered some hope after early setbacks. Openers Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sai Sudharsan were dismissed in the first over of India’s second innings, leaving the middle order to shoulder the responsibility.
“Rishabh will bat tomorrow,” Kotak said, adding that Pant’s determination to contribute despite his injury has been inspirational for the team.
Kotak praised Shubman Gill, who has been India’s standout performer in the series with 697 runs so far, crediting the batter’s improved mindset since the Australia tour. “We discussed certain adjustments, but the credit goes to Shubman for deciding which shots to play and which to avoid on these challenging wickets,” he said.
The coach also lauded KL Rahul’s resilience and stressed the importance of the pair batting longer on Day 5. “They batted with belief and determination. It’s tough when you lose two early wickets, but they showed great character to fight back,” Kotak added.
