Despite lingering concerns over his fitness, Rishabh Pant has signaled his intent to play in the crucial fourth Test against England in Manchester with a powerful video montage of his training session – and he may be on the brink of scripting a massive Indian cricket record.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!The Team India vice-captain, who suffered a painful finger injury during the third Test at Lord’s, shared a 31-second clip on social media on Sunday showing himself batting fluently, sprinting, diving in fielding drills, and even kicking a football – with no visible signs of discomfort.
Pant had walked off the field on Day 1 of the Lord’s Test after taking a blow on his left index finger while attempting a diving stop. While Dhruv Jurel took over wicketkeeping duties, Pant returned to bat, defying pain and scoring 74 in the first innings.Now, if he plays at Old Trafford from July 23, the 27-year-old is on the verge of entering Indian cricket history books.
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How crucial is Rishabh Pant for India’s chances in the fourth Test?
Pant has hit 88 sixes in just 46 Tests, and needs just three more to surpass Virender Sehwag’s all-time Indian record of 90 Test sixes. He is currently tied for second with Rohit Sharma (88 sixes in 67 Tests), with legends MS Dhoni (78) and Ravindra Jadeja (74) completing the top five.Pant’s incredible six-hitting ability has been a hallmark of his fearless batting in red-ball cricket, often changing the momentum of a match in a single session.His potential return for the fourth Test could also be vital to India’s chances of leveling the five-match series, currently led 2-1 by England.
