Last Updated: July 18, 2025 02:37 PM
Ravi Shastri on Rishabh Pant has shared his honest opinion about the upcoming Manchester Test. India’s former coach thinks Pant shouldn’t play if he can’t do both jobs properly. This advice comes right before a super important match for Team India.
India is losing the series 1-2 against England right now. They really need to win the IND vs ENG 4th Test to stay alive. But Pant’s injured finger is creating big problems for the team management.
What Shastri Actually Said About Pant
Ravi Shastri on Rishabh Pant made it very clear during his recent interview.
“I don’t think he should go in as a specialist batter if he can’t keep. He’ll have to field, and if he fields, that’ll be worse. With the gloves, at least there’s some protection. Without gloves, if he gets something that stings him there, then it won’t be very good. It’ll worsen the injury,” He said.
Shastri knows cricket very well because he coached India for many years. He believes Pant should only play if he can do both jobs perfectly. The team can’t afford to take any risks with such an important player.
Many cricket experts agree with what Shastri is saying about this situation. They think India needs a fully fit Pant, not someone who’s still hurting. Playing with pain might make his injury even worse than it already is.
Pant’s Current Condition Looks Worrying
Right now, Pant isn’t doing any wicketkeeping practice during training sessions. He’s also avoiding batting drills because his finger still hurts a lot. The medical team is watching him very carefully every single day.
Pant scored 74 runs at Lord’s even with his painful finger injury. But he couldn’t keep wickets during that match because of the pain. This shows how serious his injury really is for the team.
Also Read: IND vs ENG 4th Test: Ryan ten Doeschate Hints at Bumrah’s Participation in Manchester
If Pant can’t play in the IND vs ENG 4th Test, Dhruv Jurel will replace him. But everyone hopes Pant gets better before the match starts. His presence always makes the team feel more confident about winning.
