In a major blow to India’s Test team wicketkeeper, Rishabh Pant, who retired hurt on the first day of the Manchester Test, has been advised six weeks rest because of a toe fracture. In the 68th over of India’s innings, Pant, batting on 37, tried a pre-determined reverse sweep against seamer Chris Woakes but missed, taking a hit on his right boot. The ball hit the boot after taking an inside edge.

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“The scan report showed a fracture and he is ruled out for six weeks. The medical team is trying to see if he can come out to bat again by taking a pain killer. He still needs support to walk though and chances of his batting looks very bleak,” a source in the BCCI confirmed to The Indian Express.

Meanwhile, the selection committee will add Ishan Kishan to the squad ahead of the fifth Test as Pant won’t be part of the final Test match, which will be played from July 31 to August 4 at The Oval.

India is already experiencing an injury crisis with all-rounder Nitesh Kumar Reddy (knee) out of the series and fast bowlers Akash Deep (groin) and Arshedeep Singh (thumb) not available for the fourth Test.

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Pant was wincing and grimacing in pain as he lay flat on the ground as the physio tended to his right foot, which had swollen considerably with a bloodied cut.

Pant instantly began to hobble, took off his gloves, and called for the physio. Pant was later taken off the ground in the medical team’s cart and former cricketers Ricky Ponting and Michael Atherton felt he may have done considerable damage to the foot.

“He (Pant) hardly put his foot on the ground. The immediate swelling was a worry for me. I’ve had a metatarsal injury myself, and they’re small, fragile bones. The fact he couldn’t put any weight on it, it doesn’t look good at all,” Ponting said on Sky Sports.

Pant’s injury meant that he retired hurt on 37 with Ravindra Jadeja replacing him out on the field. India soon lost the well-set Sai Sudharsan before Jadeja and Shardul Thakur saw off the day, taking India to 264 for four at stumps.

“If he is out of the game…if he’s out of the series, then that’s a massive blow to India and puts the day in a different light. That 264 for four becomes 264 for five, and with that new ball due, there is a potential to knock India over reasonably swiftly tomorrow. But if he returns to bat, he could change the game. So there is an uncertainty which we don’t know. But it looked like a quite serious injury, because you don’t get carted off otherwise,” former England captain and commentator Michael Atherton said.

Pant had injured his left index finger while keeping at Lord’s in the third Test.