Gambhir bats for injury replacements in Tests, Stokes finds idea 'ridiculous'

India coach Gautam Gambhir has called for the introduction of injury replacements in Test cricket, a stance which England captain Ben Stokes considers "absolutely ridiculous."

Rishabh Pant, India's wicketkeeper-batter, retired hurt on the first day of the drawn fourth Test in Manchester but re-emerged on the second day to resume his innings despite scans confirming a fracture in his right foot. Gambhir praised Pant's bravery, saying "any amount of praise is not enough for him", but said that injury replacements should be permitted in such instances.

"Absolutely, I'm all for it," Gambhir said. "If the umpires and the match referee sees and feels that is a major injury, I think it's very important. It's very important to have this rule where you can get a substitute - that is, if it's very visible. There's nothing wrong in doing that, especially in a series like this where it's been such a closely-fought series in the previous three Test matches. Imagine if we would've had to play with 10 men against 11. How unfortunate would this be for us."

India were able to use Dhruv Jurel, a substitute, as their wicketkeeper in Pant's place, but he would not have been available to bat in their second innings. The ICC's playing conditions allow teams to make replacements if a player is concussed or contracts Covid-19, but there is no scope to replace an injured player.

Some boards will trial injury replacements at first-class level later this year, but Stokes said that the conversation should be "shut down and stopped" because any proposal would contain too many "loopholes" for teams to exploit.

"I think it's absolutely ridiculous that there's a conversation around an injury replacement," Stokes said. "I think that there would just be too many loopholes for teams to be able to go through. You pick your 11 for a game; injuries are part of the game. I completely understand the concussion replacement: player welfare, [and] player safety. But I think the conversation should just honestly stop around injury replacements because if you stick me in an MRI scanner, I could get someone else in straightaway.

"If you stick anyone else with an MRI scanner, a bowler is going to show, 'Oh yeah, you've got a bit of inflammation around your knee. Oh sweet, we can get another fresh bowler in'. I just think that conversation should be shut down and stopped."

Pant has been ruled out of next week's fifth Test at The Oval, which starts on Thursday, and replaced in the India squad by N Jagadeesan. Gambhir praised him for returning to bat and adding 17 runs after retiring hurt, and said that "generations to come forward" would talk about his bravery.

"Rishabh, already it's been declared that he's out of the series," Gambhir said. "One thing I want to say is that the character, the foundation of this team will be built on something that [he] did for the team and for the country as well. Any amount of praise is not enough for him, especially batting with a broken foot.

"Not many people have done that in the past, and he had put his hand up and that is why I say it. Any amount of praise [is not enough]. I can sit here and talk about this for hours and hours. I think the generations to come forward will talk about this, and generations coming forward should talk about it that there is someone who's batted with a broken foot.

"It's unfortunate because of the kind of form he was in, but again he's an important member of the Test side, and I hope he recovers quickly and comes back quickly, and try and deliver again for us."