‘Badly bruised’: Morkel reveals why Pant did not keep as Jurel took gloves
Rishabh Pant is dealing with a severely bruised shoulder that is affecting his performance as a wicketkeeper. On day three of the Test match, India's bowlers had a challenging time dismissing the Sri Lankan team, but Prasidh Krishna exhibited commendable skill with his energetic spells. Mohammed Siraj also put in a tireless effort on a tough pitch, as India pushe for a swift end to enforce the…
New Delhi: Indian bowling coach Morne Morkel disclosed that Rishabh Pant's shoulder is "badly bruised" following an incident during the second Test against Sri Lanka in Colombo. The wicketkeeper-batter had to retire hurt on Day 1 after sustaining a blow to his wrist, leading to his absence from the field after India declared their innings at 503 for nine.
Despite this setback, Pant's replacement, Dhruv Jurel, continued to take wicketkeeping duties on the second day. Morkel emphasized the value of Pant's experience behind the stumps, stating that they wanted to retain his expertise due to his exceptional reading of the game. The Indian bowlers, however, failed to dismiss Sri Lanka on Day 3, with the hosts amassing 265 for eight before rain and bad light called for early stumps.
Sonali Dinusha held her ground with an unbeaten 85 at the time. Morkel commended Prasidh Krishna's determination and potential, praising his ability to silence critics and praised Mohammed Siraj for his relentless efforts on a challenging pitch. Sri Lanka, led by Pasindu Sooriyabandara's 80, managed to recover and are now 38 runs away from avoiding the follow-on, with India aiming to quickly enforce the follow-on and put Sri Lanka in again.
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