4th Test (Old Trafford, Manchester) - 23rd to 27th of July

[GIMH]

surely pant comes back to bat if it’s just his toe

He could barely walk

 

[Uppercut]

I think he will try to bat, but only because he has absolutely no regard for his own safety. He’ll bat barefoot and it’ll only be about the 4th most dangerous thing he’s tried to do in the game so far.

 

[Hungry Llama]

I dont get all this about pant. Jurel subbed for him in the last test, so i assume he'll be able to do so in this, and i expect Pant, even if he has a cast on his foot will bat if india need him to. however england still have to get the other 5 batters out first, so he may not need to bat again if india make 500+. Stokes really shouldnt be allowed to make decisions after the toss anymore.

 

[silentstriker]

He could barely walk

He couldn't actually walk.

 

[centurymaker]

Even if Pant bats, he won't be able to bat properly. Moreover, he will struggle to take any singles, even if England keep fielders on the boundary.. In other words, he would have to hit out. So don't expect much from him. A couple of hits max.

I doubt India can come back from this. India may look "ahead" till day 3 but when 2nd innings comes around, England will be ahead or would undoubtedly be able to catch up and regain control of the match. So I think the series is effectively over today

 

[RossTaylorsBox]

Shane Warne played with a broken toenail, not sure why this is difficult for Pant.

 

[Son Of Coco]

My guess is no. Pant should've been holding his head instead of hobbling on his foot.

He should have lurched forwards and cracked himself in the head with his bat.

 

[Son Of Coco]

Even if Pant bats, he won't be able to bat properly. Moreover, he will struggle to take any singles, even if England keep fielders on the boundary.. In other words, he would have to hit out. So don't expect much from him. A couple of hits max.

I doubt India can come back from this. India may look "ahead" till day 3 but when 2nd innings comes around, England will be ahead or would undoubtedly be able to catch up and regain control of the match. So I think the series is effectively over today

Maxwell scored 200 on one leg. Chalk Pant up for at least 300 in the second innings.

If England don't do the obvious thing of course, which is to york him.

Sorry, york him is the 2nd most obvious thing for the English cricket team to do. No.1 is cheat.

 

[Prince EWS]

Even if Pant bats, he won't be able to bat properly. Moreover, he will struggle to take any singles, even if England keep fielders on the boundary.. In other words, he would have to hit out. So don't expect much from him. A couple of hits max.

I doubt India can come back from this. India may look "ahead" till day 3 but when 2nd innings comes around, England will be ahead or would undoubtedly be able to catch up and regain control of the match. So I think the series is effectively over today

Pant never bats properly tbf.

 

[jaydesh]

The goal for India should be to first try and see out the 2nd new ball, or the first hour. Essentially they need to do what they failed at during their run chase last test.

 

[TheJediBrah]

There's no way they're going to pull the "pant bat, specialist keeper keep" again surely

Would be hilarious, the audacity

 

[Son Of Coco]

What was Archer's pace like? Watching the highlights, he's in the mid-130s the whole time, but obviously that is just a snippet of the day.

 

[sayon basak]

What was Archer's pace like? Watching the highlights, he's in the mid-130s the whole time, but obviously that is just a snippet of the day.

He wasn't all that fast yesterday. Exceeded 140k several times, that's it.

 

[centurymaker]

There's no way they're going to pull the "pant bat, specialist keeper keep" again surely

Would be hilarious, the audacity

Come on.. You haven't watched judging by your post. He is all but ruled out of the series. India are effectively 264/5, and 0/1 in the 2nd innings. Barring a mini miracle India will lose this test.

 

[TheJediBrah]

Come on.. You haven't watched anything judging by your post. He is all but ruled out of the series. India are effectively 264/5, and 0/1 in the 2nd innings. Barring a mini miracle India will lose this test.

You're right and I haven't claimed to. My post was a query more than anything. If he really can't even bat again that's a huge blow

 

[centurymaker]

This is one of the things I don't like about the BCCI and Indian cricket in general; they like to keep things a secret/ a mystery/open to all kinds of speculation. Scans were done last evening, results would have been available soon after and they have provided no update. If it's a fracture, just say it! And if he is miraculously okay, why hide good news? Why delay the news either way.. do you want to keep England guessing? Sorry Eng already know that Pant's pretty much out of the game (read Dawson's comments) Just front up and have to guts to openly accept reality, rather than hide ****. Same thing they did with Bumrah in Sydney and for months after that, failing to reveal full extent of his injury. They keep doing it with their starting XIs. They do it when they drop someone (Rohit, Nair, Ashwin). Just a backwards mentality in the current age of quick access to information. No top modern team does this ****, always withholding information / denying stuff in front of media. Just poor. And now (something unrelated) BCCI is exploring ways to host Asia Cup. Have they really lost their minds.. so out of touch with reality.

 

[cnerd123]

I like how Sai was willing to bat ugly and grind out runs. He is a white-ball gun trying to make his game work at Test level. I am concerned that managing all three formats will be what limits his performances in Tests. Let us see how he is managed, and if he has the mental fortitude to make it work. He is still young enough that he can make improvements in his game - that legside strangle needs fixing. It worked again this Test, he's lucky Jamie put the catch down. He seems to also have a bit of KL Rahul about him in the way he gets out after a good start.

Hopefully Pant is fit to bat again. We will definitely need him. Do not mind having Jurel behind the stumps again lol. Thakur batting at 7 instead of Washy is absolutely insane. Hope he scores a jammy 50 and makes us haters taste it.

England bowled quite well. The pitch is offering a bit for the seamers. Carse and Archer both bowled within themselves, Carse perhaps a bit more wayward that he would like.

I think Gill is feeling the pressure after his behaviour at Lords. That is why he has looked nervous is his last few knocks. That leave was pure brainfade, like Karun's, and there was nothing leading up to it that suggested he was struggling against the movement on offer.

 

[Shri]

pant will bat 11 with a broken foot and just swing imo

 

[Molehill]

Be interesting how much this pitch deteriorates, if at all. In the county championship it’s be difficult forcing a victory (albeit only over four days) and maybe that extra day will make all the difference but it looks another very flat one.

With that in mind and the Pant injury (if that’s the end of him for this Test) maybe it’s slightly England’s day but not by much for me.

Good point this, there has yet to be anything but a draw at Old Trafford this season and there have been some big scores batting second too. It would suggest that the pitch should stay true for the first 3 days at least.

 

[RightArmMystery]

Seen a video this morning of Pant being helped out of a car with a boot on. He's not batting today.