India wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant retired hurt after being hit on his left arm during the opening day of the second Test against Sri Lanka in Colombo on Sunday.The incident happened during the third session when Sri Lanka fast bowler Lahiru Kumara bowled a short ball at Pant. The India batter tried to pull it behind square but missed, and the ball struck his left arm.Pant was in pain immediately after the blow and was attended to by the Indian team physiotherapist.An ice pack was first applied to his arm before it was taped. However, the tape was later removed as Pant continued to look uncomfortable.After scoring three runs from 15 balls, Pant walked off the field with the physiotherapist in the 58th over of India’s innings.Ravindra Jadeja then came in to bat alongside Devdutt Padikkal.
Will Pant bat on Day 2?
India batting coach Sitanshu Kotak said after the day’s play that Pant is expected to continue in the match.“I think he will be fine to continue tomorrow,” he said in the post-day press conference on Day 1.
Padikkal’s century takes India to 300/5
Despite Pant’s injury and wickets falling around him, Devdutt Padikkal scored 117 to guide India to 300/5 at stumps on the opening day.Dhruv Jurel was unbeaten on 7, while debutant Saransh Jain was unbeaten on 4 when play ended.Padikkal’s 168-ball innings, his second hundred in as many Tests, was not laced with the customary elegance barring on a couple of occasions when he brought out those full-blooded pulls and drives. He was dropped on 0 and 1 but remained solid after those reprieves.But the innings was still stunning because of the circumstances in which it was executed.
