Physios monitor Pant after retiring hurt against SA A, but no major injury

India A skipper Rishabh Pant is being monitored by physios after he was forced to retire hurt on the third day of the four-day match against South Africa A here, but could come out to bat if the situation demands that.

Pant was taken out as a precautionary measure after he was hit thrice by South African pacer Tshepo Moraki towards the end of the morning session at the BCCI CoE grounds here.

He was later seen with his left hand strapped.

The left-hander was batting on 17 off 22 balls then. Dhruv Jurel walked in for him.

“The team physios are observing him, and they will take a call whether he can bat or not, if the match situation comes to that,” a team official told PTI.

Moraki hit Pant flush on the helmet as he attempted a reverse pull. He was then hit on the elbow while playing a conventional pull and eventually on the abdomen area that left him wincing in pain.

He was subjected to medical attention on all three occasions. India A coach Hrishikesh Kanitkar finally asked Pant to return despite him wanting to continue to bat.

Pant, who made 24 in the first innings, has been named in the India squad for the two-match Test series against South Africa, beginning on November 14.