Colombo, Aug 24 (IANS) India batter Dhruv Jurel stated that wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant picked up pain in his right shoulder during the ongoing second Test match against Sri Lanka at the Sinhalese Sports Club as he kept wickets at the end of Day 2 in Colombo on Monday.
Pant was absent from the field as India came out to bowl in the dying stages of Day 2 after posting a mammoth 503/9d in Colombo. He had earlier scored a stroke-filled 63 but had copped a blow to his shoulder following a hit on his left wrist on Day 1 of the fixture; the latter forced him to retire hurt.
As he stayed away from the field, Jurel, the second of the three wicketkeepers in the Playing XI (KL Rahul is another one), kept wickets for the final phase of the day as India put the hosts down to 8/2 in three overs before stumps were called.
Speaking at the end of Day 2, Jurel, who smashed a jaw-dropping unbeaten 115, revealed that Pant has a shoulder issue.
“He (Pant) got hurt on his right shoulder. Physio is monitoring him. Today, I kept wickets because he had pain in his right shoulder. Hopefully, he’ll be fine tomorrow,” Jurel said in the press conference after Day 2.
Notably, Pant was hit on his right shoulder by a bouncer from Asitha Fernando in the 94th over of the first innings on Day 2. The batter did not gauge the line and length and could not do much but take a blow to his shoulder. The physio tended to him, applied an ice pack to the hit shoulder before he continued his work and went on to hit a strong 63 from 89 balls.
Pant had earlier copped a blow to his left wrist while batting early on the opening day. He was hit by a short ball from Lahiru Kumara in the 58th over of India’s innings on Day 1. Pant needed medical attention as the physio ran out to apply ice to his wrist. A tape was also put on the wrist as he walked off the field unbeaten on three runs.
India are in complete control of the second Test. Jurel’s hundred powered the visitors to 503/9d, before Prasidh Krishna and Manav Suthar struck late to remove Lahiru Udara and nightwatchman Prabath Jayasuriya. They are reeling at 8/2 and trail by 495 runs.
–IANS
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