Manchester’s Old Trafford bore witness to a moment of sheer grit as Rishabh Pant, nursing a fractured toe, strode onto the pitch to bat on the second day of the fourth Test against England. Pant had retired hurt at 37 on Day 1 after an incoming Chris Woakes delivery fractured his right foot during a reverse sweep. Scans confirmed a fractured metatarsal, and he was immediately ruled out of wicket-keeping duties - handing gloves duties to Dhruv Jurel - but the BCCI confirmed he remained “available to bat”.

As Ravindra Jadeja and Shardul Thakur fell early on Day 2, the injured Pant limped out to a standing ovation. He managed to add two runs, primarily depending on stationary big hits, and fans erupted as his teammate Shardul waited and gently patted Pant’s head before walking off - a moment that quickly went viral.

Despite unable to run, Pant's bravery galvanized India to 321/6 by lunch, momentarily lifting team morale as rain halted play. This comeback, coming on the heels of his 2022 life-threatening car crash recovery, showcased his unwavering determination. However, with a potentially six-week layoff looming, his full tournament availability is now uncertain.