Rishabh Pant 'should be fine' to play fourth Test, says Shubman Gill

Rishabh Pant "should be fine" in time for the fourth Test against England at Old Trafford from July 23 after scans revealed "no major injury" to the index finger of his left hand, according to India captain Shubman Gill.

Pant is the second-highest run-scorer in the series, with 425 runs in six innings at an average of 70.83.

Pant was struck on the index finger of his left hand while attempting to collect a delivery from Jasprit Bumrah down the leg side during the 34th over England's first innings in the third Test at Lord's. He was in considerable pain and needed treatment from the physio that caused a long break in play. Though he finished that over, he could not continue keeping wicket, and was replaced behind the stumps by Dhruv Jurel for the rest of the Test.

Pant, however, came out to bat at No. 5 in both of India's innings at Lord's. He scored 74 off 112 balls in the first innings, and 9 off 12 in the second. However, there were moments during both innings where he was in discomfort due to the injury and had to take the injured bottom hand off the bat as he connected with the ball.

This was most apparent during India's chase of 193 on the final day, when Pant walked out to bat with India needing another 135 to win with six wickets in hand. He was not at ease facing the pace of Jofra Archer, frequently releasing his bottom hand from the bat handle. Pant became the first wicket to fall on day five when he lost his off stump to Archer while trying to defend, and India went on to fall short of the target by 22 runs to go 2-1 down in the five-Test series.

It is unlikely that Pant will be allowed a keeping substitute for the same injury during the next Test at Old Trafford so he will need to be fully fit going into that fixture.