Rishabh Pant (PHOTO: X)
Things got tense at Kotambi Stadium in Vadodara on Saturday evening. Rishabh Pant, India’s star wicketkeeper-batsman, took a nasty hit during a training session.
He was batting against the throwdown specialists when one of their deliveries slammed into the right side of his abdomen. The pain hit him hard and fast; he just sat down on the ground, clearly hurting.
A video of the moment spread like wildfire online, but not just because of the injury. In the footage, you can see Shubman Gill and Gautam Gambhir nearby. They don’t seem to pay Pant any attention, and fans on social media lost it.
According to multiple reports, the team doctor examined Pant and confirmed that he had injured his right rib, resulting in a muscle strain. He was later ruled out for the ODI against New Zealand. Dhruv Jurel has been brought in as his replacement.
Fans online weren’t just upset about the injury, though. The viral clip showing Gill and Gambhir ignoring Pant while he was obviously in pain made things worse.
People called it out, saying the captain and coach just kept chatting while Pant was down on his knees. One post that got shared around said, “Rishabh Pant got injured, yet the captain and coach didn’t even bother to check on him. They just continued talking and ignored him completely while he was down on his knees in pain. What a pathetic environment.”
Honestly, this is just the latest in a string of setbacks for Pant. This past year hasn’t been kind to him. He’s been battling injuries ever since he came back to the 50-over format. His last ODI was against Sri Lanka in August 2024, and things have only gotten tougher:
Amid all of this, the India vs New Zealand series is still moving forward. This is the first international match at Kotambi Stadium, which is a big deal.
The next two ODIs are set for Rajkot on January 14 and Indore on January 18. India’s record at home against New Zealand is rock-solid; they’ve won all seven previous ODI series on home soil.
Out of 40 home ODIs against New Zealand, India has come out on top 31 times. Even with Pant’s injury hanging over the team, India looks confident.
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