In a significant development for Indian cricket, Rishabh Pant has stated that he is completely fit and 'ready to go' in time for the Test series against South Africa in mid-November. Pant, who was out of action for a few months due to a serious fracture to his foot he sustained in July during the Test series between England and India, made the announcement in an interview with the BCCI at the Centre of Excellence (CoE).

Currently leading the India A team in the unofficial Test series against South Africa A, Pant opened up about his rehabilitation journey from the painful yorker injury he suffered in Manchester. He expressed heartfelt gratitude to the CoE staff who supported him throughout his recovery.

“I started my rehab gradually. In the early days, there was a lot of physiotherapy and careful monitoring. Once I regained some mobility, I began focusing on building strength, which marked the start of the second phase. Right now, I’m happy to say that I’m fully recovered, and I owe a big thanks to the CoE staff for helping me through it,” Pant said.

Pant Shares Positivity and Focus During Recovery

Known for his resilience after surviving a life-threatening car accident in 2022, Pant shared how staying positive played a big role in his recovery journey. “Being positive is really a mindset thing. During an injury, it’s easy to lose motivation. Your energy levels drop and frustration builds up. But if you can find small things that make you feel good, it’s important to hold onto them, especially when you’re going through that period,” he explained.

See Also: WATCH: Team India cricketers jam with Diljit Dosanjh amid AUS vs IND T20Is

Pant’s return to the field, however, didn’t start with fireworks. In the first innings of the unofficial Test, he scored 17 runs off 20 balls before being dismissed by South African pacer Okuhle Cele. Still, his comeback is a massive boost for India’s Test side, which drew the England series 2-2 under Shubman Gill’s captaincy. With Pant’s experience and presence behind the stumps, India will have greater balance ahead of the two-match home series against South Africa, starting November 14 at Eden Gardens in Kolkata. The final squad announcement is expected soon.

Just two days after Shreyas Iyer left the field in discomfort during the third ODI against Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground, fresh details about his condition have emerged.

According to a report by ‘TimesofIndia.com’, India’s vice-captain continues to receive medical treatment at a Sydney hospital. Doctors are closely monitoring his progress following the on-field injury.

After taking that fascinating catch, Shreyas immediately fell on ground and was feeling the pain. Later he was taken to hospital for immediate medical support, where he got to know about his critical spleen injury. Doctors are taking care of him very well and the BCCI team is also closely monitoring his condition. Now his further participation in upcoming matches is uncertain due to the injury.

See Also: Mohammed Shami gives strong message to selectors with Ranji match-winning fifer

Shreyas Iyer Suffers a Serious Injury After Taking a Splendid Catch:

Shreyas got injured in the third ODI match, where he was running forward to take the catch of Alex Carey and fell down awkwardly on the ground. That cost him an injury near his rib cage with internal bleeding and severe pain. Primarily, he was under observation in the dressing room under the BCCI medical team. 

Later, when his condition deteriorated, he was immediately taken to the hospital and admitted to the ICU for further extensive treatment. Skipper Suryakumar Yadav later provided Shreyas’s health update. He informed that Shreyas is out of the ICU and recovering well. He also informed that BCCI is in constant touch with the hospital and is supporting them to the fullest.

Some Serious Injuries Occurred on the Cricket Field in the Past:

Before Shreyas’s critical injury, the Cricket world had witnessed similar critical injuries, even worse. As he is on his recovery path, it will be worth revisiting some shocking injury incidents that happened during live matches.

Nari Contractor (1962) — Skull Fracture

Former Indian opener Nari Contractor faced a severe injury while playing against the West Indies. He was hit in the head by a bouncer by the pacer Charlie Griffith, which resulted in a fractured skull. He was in a coma as well due to that injury. His recovery path hadn’t been easy at all. He needed multiple surgeries. Also his teammates and the opponent captain gave blood to save him. Sadly, the injury ended his international cricket career permanently.

Raman Lamba (1998) — Fatal Head Injury

While fielding close at short leg during a league game in Dhaka, Raman Lamba was hit on the temple by a fierce pull shot from Mehrab Hossain. Though he walked off without assistance, he later suffered severe internal bleeding. Despite medical efforts, he tragically passed away three days later. Sadly, he had chosen not to wear a helmet for just three deliveries of the over.

Jason Gillespie (1999) — Broken Leg

During a Test match against Sri Lanka in Kandy, Jason Gillespie collided with his teammate Steve Waugh while going for a catch. The unfortunate coalition cost him a broken leg. His teammate Waugh’s nose was also fractured. Gillespie had to be stretchered off the field and was sidelined for several games following the incident.

Saba Karim (2000) – Eye Injury

During an Asia Cup match against Bangladesh, former Indian wicket-keeper Saba Karim suffered a serious eye injury. It happened when Anil Kumble was bowling, and unfortunately, his ball deflected towards Saba’s face. The injury in his eye seriously damaged his vision, which forced him to take retirement from international cricket.

Mark Boucher (2012) — Eye Injury

During a tour game against Somerset, South African wicketkeeper Mark Boucher suffered a severe eye injury after being struck by a bail while keeping to Imran Tahir. Because of that critical injury, Mark had to take early retirement from international cricket. Although his retina was ok, his pupil and iris were badly damaged and he had to go through multiple medical procedures to recover from the deadly injury.

Phillip Hughes (2014) — Fatal Head Injury

During a Sheffield Shield match, Australian batter Phillip Hughes was hit on the neck by a bouncer from Sean Abbott. That critical injury suffered him a vertebral artery injury, which further turned into a fatal brain haemorrhage. Hughes tragically passed away two days later, leading to significant improvements in cricket helmet safety standards worldwide.

In a major update for fans of Australian cricket, star all-rounder Glenn Maxwell provided the good newsthat he's optimistic he can return to full fitness to play in the final three T20Is against India. The Men in Blue will tour Australia for three ODIs and five T20Is, starting on October 19. Maxwell, who continues to focus on T20 cricket following his ODI retirement, was sidelined from the squad for the New Zealand series due to a wrist injury.

The injury occurred when Maxwell was struck on the hand by a powerful shot from Mitchell Owen during a practice session, forcing him to undergo surgery. Speaking about his recovery, the Australian all-rounder shared that the operation was necessary to improve his chances of participating in the India series.

"I think having the surgery last week sort of gives me a little bit more hope of playing some part in that India series, if I can get myself right. The only reason I had the surgery was that the options they gave me were to miss that series completely or have surgery, and it gives me a slim chance to hopefully play a part. And if not, I'll be ready earlier for the BBL, and I think it leaves me in good standing to get the rest of my body right," Maxwell said, as quoted by ESPNcricinfo.

Maxwell Opens Up on His Injury and Recovery Process

It is worth noting that Cricket Australia has so far announced the squad only for the first two T20Is against India. Maxwell revealed that the injury was purely accidental and unfortunate, as the ball hit directly on the bone rather than on the flesh, which would have made a big difference.

See Also: India’s assistant coach confirms unchanged playing XI for second Test against West Indies

Reflecting on the incident, he humorously added that he now prefers not to bowl to big-hitters like Marcus Stoinis, Tim David, and Mitchell Owen, to avoid any similar accidents in the future. Despite the setback, Maxwell remains optimistic about making a strong comeback later in the series or at the very least before the Big Bash League.

Australian captain Pat Cummins has revealed that he wants to be part of all five Tests during the Ashes series at home, however, he admitted that his availability will become clearer in the coming weeks. The 32-year-old quick has not played since the tour of the Caribbean in June-July this year and is currently recovering from a 'lumbar bone stress' injury.

As a result, Cummins has been ruled out of Australia’s October white-ball assignments against New Zealand and India. Speaking on Friday, September 19, he revealed that his current focus is on gym sessions and rest to aid recovery. “There are no hard and fast plans yet. I’m still doing a bit of gym and keeping things kicking over, but with this kind of injury, it’s rest and then we’ll build back and kind of work back from the Ashes," he explained.

Despite the uncertainty, the Australian captain sounded optimistic about his progress. “Still really hopeful to be able to be part of the Ashes. But it is a little bit of a wait and see. At the moment, I’m feeling pretty good, so nothing’s changed from what it was a couple of weeks ago really," Cummins added.

Aiming for Five Tests but Keeping Options Open

Cummins reiterated that his initial goal remains to play the entire series. “The aim is five. Every summer, you kind of aim for five. This one might be a little bit different because you’re coming in a little bit different than other ones. But the starting aim is for five. Once we get closer, we’re probably going to chat through potentially more realistic situations. It’s honestly too far out to say. But the aim at the moment is to try and be ready for all of it," he said.

See Also: [WATCH] 'Tarikita Tarikita Dhom' – Shreya Ghoshal sings official song for Women’s World Cup 2025

The pacer further assured that he will only step onto the field if he feels physically ready. “I won’t go into a Test where I feel like I [will] break down or anything like that. I think if you’d asked me 10 years ago, I would have said I really feel like I need to play games. Now it’s centre wickets and net sessions. I’ve bowled a lot more overs. I feel like I can kind of get up to Test level pretty quickly," Cummins concluded. With the first Ashes Test scheduled at Perth Stadium from November 21, he has just over two months to get himself match-ready.

India’s hopes of building a strong first-innings total took a major hit late on Day 1 at Manchester when star wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant was forced to retire hurt after a painful blow to his right foot. The injury occurred when Pant, batting fluently on 37 off 48 balls, inside-edged a Chris Woakes delivery while attempting a reverse sweep. The ball hit him right on the metatarsal, and it was obvious he was in pain.

Pant first tried to get up, but ultimately collapsed on the ground in blatant pain. After some minutes of on-field treatment, he was wheeled off the field in a medical cart. Later, the BCCI confirmed that Pant had been taken to a nearby hospital for scans, and while he's under medical supervision, no official word has been given about the severity of the injury. The swelling and bleeding visible on his foot, however, suggest the damage might be significant.

𝗨𝗽𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲:

Rishabh Pant was hit on his right foot while batting on Day 1 of the Manchester Test.

He was taken for scans from the stadium.

The BCCI Medical Team is monitoring his progress.

— BCCI (@BCCI) July 23, 2025

🚨 RISHABH PANT ADVISED FOR 6 WEEK REST 🚨

- Medical team is checking if Pant can bat after taking a pain-killer if need be but chances are slim. [Devendra Pandey from Express Sports]

Ishan Kishan set to be added to the squad for the 5th Test. pic.twitter.com/hDVbtJzLLj

— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) July 24, 2025

ALSO SEE: Watch: Rohit Sharma reveals how Sarfaraz Khan's vision help India to take wicket

Pant's Injury a Major Blow to India’s Plans as Lower Order Faces New Ball Test

As of now, it looks highly unlikely that Pant will bat on Day 2. Unlike his earlier hand injury at Lord’s, which he managed to play through, a foot injury of this nature severely restricts mobility, something critical for a batter like Pant who relies heavily on footwork and running between the wickets. Reports indicate he may not even be able to wear his shoe for the next few days.

This presents a serious setback for India. Pant was looking in sublime touch and had stitched a vital 72-run partnership with debutant Sai Sudharsan before retiring hurt. With India set to resume at 264/4 and England expected to take the second new ball right away, the absence of Pant at the crease could expose the lower order to the fresh cherry. Unless a crisis demands his presence later in the innings, Pant is unlikely to walk out to bat again in the first innings and possibly not at all in this match.

The Indian camp is in tense mode before the important Manchester Test due to the rising fitness issues of team members, especially the regular players. Now, a star Indian cricketer is in danger of missing out on the remainder of the ongoing England tour.

Visitors India are trailing the five-match Test series against the hosts England, Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2025, by 2-1 after the third Test. So, India can't afford another defeat in this Test series, while they must win both the remaining matches to lift the Test series in England for the first time after the successful 2007 tour.

Old Trafford in Manchester will host the fourth Test of the series, starting on Wednesday (July 23), as both teams have earned more than a week's rest between the third and fourth Tests of the series. 

See Also: Injury concerns rise as big players quit practice sessions ahead of ENG vs IND 4th Test

Team India has some serious fitness issues

During the first innings of the third Test of the series at Lord's, Indian wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant was injured on his left index finger and was only available to bat in both innings. He may appear in the fourth Test, but India may also go with Dhruv Jurel for the wicketkeeper role. Meanwhile, the Indian pacers Arshdeep Singh and Akash Deep are injured and seriously doubtful for the Manchester Test. Pace-bowling all-rounder Anshul Kamboj has already been added to the squad in this critical moment for the team. In the meantime, the team management is seriously looking at the workload management of Indian pacers Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj. 

Nitish Kumar Reddy injured on Sunday

Now, ESPNcricinfo has reported that Indian all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy is doubtful for the remainder of the England tour. During the training on Sunday, he picked up an injury, and the scans have revealed a ligament injury.   

Reddy played the last two matches of the ongoing Test series in England. While he hadn't had any impressive stats in the second Test of the series at Birmingham (1 & 1; 0/29), where India won by 336 runs, he had some good roles in the last Test at Lord's (30 & 13; 2/62 & 1/20), where the visitors fought till the end and suffered a narrow 22-run defeat. As Reddy provided strong support to the team, both in seam bowling and lower-middle order batting, his presence is crucial for the visitors. If he has been ruled out for the remainder of the series, it will be a big blow for India. 

Prithvi Shaw Says His Life Feels Like Jethalal's

When Prithvi Shaw started playing for India, people thought he would become the next Sachin Tendulkar. He made a great Test debut in 2018 against the West Indies, and fans were excited about his future.

But things didn’t go smoothly. After some bad performances, he was dropped from the team. He also had personal problems and was removed from the Mumbai team too.

Shaw played for Delhi Capitals in the IPL for a few years, but before the last big auction, the team let him go. Sadly, no one picked him, and Shaw later said that he even went into depression. In a recent interview, Shaw said his life feels like Jethalal, a character from the TV show Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah. Jethalal is always caught in problems whether it’s with his dad or his neighbours, trouble keeps following him.

Shaw feels the same. “Even when I try to live peacefully, something always goes wrong,” he said. In 2019, Shaw was banned for 8 months after a banned substance was found in his body. He said it came from a regular cough syrup, but the rules were strict, and he missed many matches.

Then in 2023, he got into a fight at a nightclub in Mumbai. A social media influencer, Sapna Gill, accused him of hitting her after he refused to take a selfie. Her group even attacked Shaw’s car with a bat. The case went to the police and spread all over the news. Even with all this, Shaw is trying to make a comeback. He still believes in himself and hopes things will get better.

ALSO READ: 'I’m already on the road to recovery' - Suryakumar Yadav after undergoing successful sports hernia surgery in Germany

Twitter reactions after Prithvi Shaw's claim of comparing himself with fictional character of popular Indian drama

Prithvi Shaw said, "I'm like Jethalal from Tarak Mehta. Controversies chase me without doing anything". (Abhishek Tripathi). pic.twitter.com/2l4IIMyY6p

— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) June 26, 2025

Prithvi Shaw 🗣️"I'm like Jethalal from Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah. Controversies chase me without doing anything".#PrithviShaw pic.twitter.com/NUbmZXWx5i

— Saabir Zafar (@Saabir_Saabu01) June 26, 2025

Prithvi Shaw said : "I was never as good as Sai sudarshan is."
(Vaibhav Bhola). pic.twitter.com/nuunveg73Y

— Atta Kathi (@Atta_Kathi_) June 25, 2025

Prithvi Shaw said, "I'm like Jethalal from Tarak Mehta. Controversies chase me without doing anything".

Jethalal was man of the match in GPL3
He smashed 50 runs in one over

Dont insult jethalal. He is a legend pic.twitter.com/wI6cQ4wp53

— Secular Chad (@SachabhartiyaRW) June 26, 2025

Once labelled as next Sachin, Prithvi Shaw is reduced to playing a district zone League

Sai Baba bas dekhte hi reh gaye pic.twitter.com/TVvKgiIizs

— Hindutva Knight (@HPhobiaWatch) March 31, 2025

Sai Sudharsan Likely to Miss Edgbaston Test After Shoulder Injury on Debut

Young Indian batter Sai Sudharsan, who made his Test debut at Headingley last week, might not play in the next match at Edgbaston after hurting his shoulder while fielding. According to a report by RevSportz, Sudharsan is not fully fit and may need more time to recover.

His debut didn’t go too well either. In the first innings, he got out for a duck after facing just four balls. In the second innings, he managed to score 30 runs and built a 66-run stand with KL Rahul before getting out again. Both times, he was dismissed by England captain Ben Stokes.

India ended up losing the first Test by five wickets, with England chasing down 371 runs on the final day. Sudharsan looked uncomfortable with his shoulder during the last day’s play and eventually left the field. Nitish Kumar Reddy came on as a substitute and took a sharp catch to remove Ben Duckett. Sudharsan didn’t return for the rest of the game.

BCCI's PR is so strong. They will drop sai Sudharshan stating "he's injured" just because they don't get hate for dropping a debutant just after 1 bad performance https://t.co/CBGPxu6Paq

— . (@chixxreturns) June 25, 2025

A report from RevSportz said, “Sai Sudharsan is not completely fit for the next match. He had some trouble with his shoulder while fielding on the last day.” Now, the Indian team has a few options if Sudharsan is ruled out. Karun Nair, a more experienced player, could be slotted into the No. 3 position. Another option could be bringing in Nitish Kumar Reddy or choosing to strengthen the bowling attack with an extra all-rounder or bowler.

ALSO READ: WCL 2025: Pakistan Champions announced their squad for upcoming season

In the Headingley Test, India gave Sudharsan his first cap while also bringing back Karun Nair and including Shardul Thakur. Before the match, captain Shubman Gill announced that Sudharsan would bat at No. 3 a spot once made famous by Cheteshwar Pujara.

Sudharsan came in at 91/1 in the first innings but was out quickly. In the second, he walked in at 16/1 and looked more settled before falling again to Stokes. The team management had liked Sudharsan’s calm and solid batting style, which helped him earn his place in the side.

However, with this injury and competition from others, he might miss not just the Edgbaston Test but possibly the Lord’s Test as well a dream stage for any young cricketer. For now, fans will hope for a quick recovery so he doesn’t miss out on such a big opportunity.

The skipper and talismanic batter of the Punjab Kings (PBKS), Shreyas Iyer found himself in a very precarious situation. Much to the scare of the team's fans, their leader suffered a nasty blow to the index finger of his hand during a practice session one day before the match. He was seen chatting to the head coach, Ricky Ponting, about it and looked in disbelief. He, however, didn't pull out, and as captains are, gritty and dogged, he went along with it. The ice pack and magic spray came to his rescue for the time being, and only he knew for how long. 

Iyer usually bats one down in the order, but came further down. He could be seen struggling with donning his gloves, and eventually came in the middle at the fall of the third wicket of his team. He faced difficulties in timing the ball and was more often than not in a tentative state while batting in his brief and slow innings of 30 runs in 25 balls. His injured finger made him bat unlike his intrinsic self, and it was a worrying sign for everyone in the dugout and all of Punjab's faithful. 

In the second innings, the explosive batter didn't take the field. He was instead substituted, and Shashank Singh, the finisher, was handed over the captaincy duties. The stand-in captain was helped by Ricky Ponting and Shreyas too from the dugout. Punjab, in the end, managed a victory by 10 runs, and a favourable result in the match, scheduled later in the day, confirmed their playoff spot. 

🚨 A BIG SALUTE TO SHREYAS IYER 🚨

- Shreyas Iyer injured his index finger while training yesterday, he was in pain but played the important game for Punjab Kings. [Sahil Malhotra from TOI] pic.twitter.com/YHbskGnIbH

— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) May 18, 2025

Shreyas Iyer is giving regular inputs to the players from boundary rope 👌

- Injured but giving everything for his team. pic.twitter.com/XQjI7KhmBt

— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) May 18, 2025

See Also: IPL 2025: Why was Shreyas Iyer substituted in match between RR vs PBKS?

Shreyas has been in impeccable form this season, both with the bat and while leading the team. His bowling and fielding changes have been immaculate, and that has fetched the team immense success this season. He is also their second-highest run scorer after Prabhsimran Singh, and his impactful knocks have dealt an irreplaceable punch to the opposition. In an unfortunate scenario, if his finger is unable to heal in time for the rest of the matches in the season, PBKS will have a tough time in his absence and might have to rope in strong replacements.

While Shreyas Iyer is by far an irreplaceable asset for the Punjab Kings, here's a look at a few players who can potentially fill in his shoes for the remainder of the season -

Sarfaraz Khan

India's relatively newer test entrant was unlucky to miss out in the auction. He went unsold at a base price of Rs 50 lakhs, while his brother Musheer bagged a deal with PBKS. He has not had great IPL returns over the years, but his recent exploits with the Indian test team might bring about a change in his attitude and produce the explosive best out of him, if recruited by the Punjab franchise. It is also the time to reward him for his stringent fitness regime that he has been on, off-season.

Anmolpreet Singh

Prabhsimran Singh's cousin went unsold in the auction at a base price of 30 lakhs. Just a few weeks after that, he smashed the quickest List A hundred by an Indian, in 35 balls, and guided Punjab to a comprehensive victory over Arunachal Pradesh in a Vijay Hazare match. Previously, he has been a part of the Mumbai Indians and Sunrisers Hyderabad, but without much impact and a low average. 

KS Bharat

Once in and out of the Indian test team, but still featuring in the World Test Championship final 2023, and now completely off the cards, Bharat can be a decent backup. Bharat, however, has not had many good moments in his IPL career and went unsold this time. His experience is a guarantee, and he has previously represented the Delhi Capitals, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Gujarat Titans, and Kolkata Knight Riders. If brought in, he can play an anchor as well as an explosive innings. 

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) player and captain Rajat Patidar has brought smiles to the faces of the fans as he was seen practicing batting in the nets on May 15, 2025, even though there were previous worries regarding a finger injury he got while playing against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on May 3 at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium. The injury had compelled Patidar to don a splint, and he was about to miss RCB's match against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), with Jitesh Sharma filling in as the stand-in captain. The IPL 2025 season was, however, halted on May 9 for a week when cross-border tensions between India and Pakistan resulted in a suspension, giving Patidar some timely recovery time.

The IPL is now scheduled to resume on May 17, with RCB taking on Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at home in what promises to be an important match. RCB are second in the points table with 16 points from 11 games (eight wins and three losses), and a win in one of their remaining three matches would see them book a playoff berth for the fifth time in six seasons. A new video going viral on social media has assuaged the fears of fans, with the 31-year-old Madhya Pradesh batter smilingly facing a fast bowler in the nets, which means he might have recovered and could possibly lead RCB against KKR.

Patidar's performance this year has been one of two halves; he began well, accumulating 186 runs in his opening five innings at a 37.20 average and 161.73 strike rate, but in the followingx, he struggled to make just 78 runs at a 13 average and 100 strike rate. His return to the nets is welcome news for RCB, who seek to sustain the momentum they've gained following an impressive start to the tournament, including victory against KKR at Eden Gardens on the season's opening weekend.

A Pivotal Fixture for RCB's Playoff Ambitions

RCB will look to finish a double over KKR, captained by Ajinkya Rahane, in their next match on May 17 at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium. Win or lose, it would not only confirm their playoff spot but also give them a confidence boost going into the knockout stages, where they have traditionally failed to perform well despite being regular league-stage performers.

The split is off. Just a few tapes, and Rajat Patidar is batting at the RCB nets. pic.twitter.com/NsWMr1Jtfl

— Shashank Kishore (@captainshanky) May 15, 2025

Also Read: WATCH: Sunil Gavaskar honoured with ‘10000 Gavaskar’ boardroom at BCCI HQ for Test cricket milestone

Patidar's possible comeback can prove to be the game-changer for RCB, particularly with his leadership and contributions in the early stages of batting. With other big guns such as Virat Kohli and Glenn Maxwell on the team, RCB stands a good chance of making a concerted bid for the IPL 2025 championship, now rescheduled to be wrapped up on June 3, as they seek to make the most of their home ground against KKR.