When the world was praising Rishabh Pant for his brave act of coming out to bat on Day Two of the Manchester Test despite the injury, David Lloyd revealed that he heard some voices in the legends’ lounge saying that Pant should have been timed out.
Everyone was surprised when Pant walked out to bat on the second day of the ongoing fourth Test in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, despite the foot injury he suffered on Day One.
He was struck on the foot by a delivery from Chris Woakes, forcing him to leave the field. Yet Pant not only came out to bat but also completed a gritty half-century, playing a crucial role for India. Battling pain with painkillers and injections, he stepped up when his team needed him the most.
This courageous and inspiring act will be remembered in Indian cricket for years to come, much like Anil Kumble’s iconic spell of 14 consecutive overs with a broken jaw in Antigua against the West Indies.
Lloyd praised Pant’s bravery and recalled his own playing days when he continued to play with a broken finger.
“I’ve never had a metatarsal, which I think is somewhere in the foot, seeing Rishabh Pant. I have had a smashed hand against Andy Roberts and a broken cheekbone. I couldn’t bat on after either, although I think I did continue when I had a broken finger. Pant looked in pain; pretty heroic of him to come out, though.”
Though he said that as he was sitting in the legends lounge, he even heard some people saying that Pant should have been timed out for ‘milking’ his injury.
“But I was in that legends lounge today, and the consensus was ‘He has milking that injury. It can’t be that bad. He’s milked it, coming down those steps, and one or two said, ‘He should be timed out,'” said Lloyd for talkSPORT Cricket.
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