Shastri talks tough on Pant

Pant hurt his finger on Day 1 of the third Test. After that, he did not keep wickets. Dhruv Jurel took his place behind the stumps.

India is now trailing 1-2 in the five-match series. The team wants to include Pant in the fourth Test at Old Trafford, Manchester, because he is in good batting form.

However, Shastri does not agree with this idea. He said it could make Pant’s injury worse. India’s assistant coach Ryan Ten Doeschate had said Pant might play only as a batter, but Shastri is against this.

“He’ll have to field, and that’s risky. Gloves give some protection. Without gloves, it might hurt more,” Shastri told ICC. “He can’t just bat or just keep. He must do both. If it’s a fracture, he should rest and be ready for the last Test at The Oval. If not, he has about nine days to heal,” he added.