India captain Shubman Gill on Monday expressed optimism regarding Rishabh Pant’s availability for the upcoming fourth Test in Manchester, after medical scans revealed no serious damage to the wicketkeeper-batter’s injured finger. The development comes as a relief for Team India, who narrowly lost the third Test at Lord’s and are hoping for a strong response in the crucial next encounter.

Pant had to leave the field midway through the second session on Day 1 of the third Test after taking a painful blow to his left index finger while attempting a diving stop down the leg side. The incident occurred during the 34th over of England’s first innings when Jasprit Bumrah delivered a ball straying down leg, prompting Pant to dive in an effort to stop it. The impact left him visibly distressed, as he clutched his finger in pain.

Following the injury, Pant did not take the field again in a wicketkeeping capacity, with young Dhruv Jurel stepping in as a substitute behind the stumps. The 27-year-old was later seen batting in India’s second innings but showed clear signs of discomfort, often wincing while playing his shots. He was eventually dismissed for just 9 runs, unable to make a significant impact during a tense phase of the match.