The incident took place in the evening session of the second day when Devon Conway and Rachin Ravindra were batting and New Zealand already had a lead of 97. Ravindra Jadeja got the breakthrough on the third ball of his fifth over, dismissing Will Young, who was caught at short fine leg. On the last ball of that over, Jadeja sent a flatter delivery to Conway, which he missed as it advanced over the wicket.

Pant was unable to collect the ball cleanly and stop the pounding, instead falling to the ground after the ball hit his right knee. The physiotherapist was called onto the field to examine him. Pant was visibly uncomfortable and winced in pain. After a break in the game, Pant was helped off the field by the physiotherapist and Jurel continued as a substitute wearing his pads and helmet.

The ICC’s Test Match Regulations regarding substitute fielders state: “A substitute may not bowl or act as captain, but may act as wicketkeeper only with the consent of the umpires.”

Pant is playing in India’s red-ball team for the third time since his serious car accident in December 2022. The accident particularly caused damage to his right knee, which, according to the doctors who treated him, was at an angle of almost 90 degrees and returned to its normal position after the crash. Pant was able to return to professional cricket during the IPL 2024, over a year after the crash, before returning to Test cricket in India’s series against Bangladesh last month. He scored a memorable second innings hundred in the first Test, scoring 109 from 128 deliveries.

India bowed out to New Zealand earlier in the day with their third-highest score ever in Test cricket. Pant Top scored 20 out of 49 in the total 46 games with five players being sent off for ducks.

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