As India focuses on the must-win fourth Test at Old Trafford, Manchester, against England, pacer Jasprit Bumrah and wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant shared a funny moment during a training session at Kent County Cricket Ground. Bumrah was seen roasting Pant with a popular Bollywood dialogue.
After losing the third Test at Lord’s by 22 runs, India trail 2-1 in the five-match series. However, during India’s only practice session in Beckenham before heading to Manchester, Pant was interacting with journalists from the dressing room balcony. When asked something, Pant replied, “Kuch sunai nahi de raha hai” and blamed the loud music as the reason for not hearing.
Meanwhile, Bumrah, who was standing nearby, mimicked a line from the Bollywood film Mujhse Shaadi Karogi and said, “Aaj Duggal ji behre hain!” (Duggal ji is deaf today). Notably, the entire group of mediapersons standing there laughed, including Pant himself.
Bumrah has been India’s main bowler, picking up 12 wickets in the series at an average of 21.00. He missed the second Test in Birmingham as per a pre-agreed rotation plan to manage his workload following back surgery in 2023. After missing the second Test, he returned to Lord’s and took seven wickets, including a five-wicket haul.
Meanwhile, Pant has been important with the bat. His 74 at Lord’s kept India in the hunt, though his finger injury led him not to don the gloves behind the stumps. With India considering the possibility of Pant playing purely as a batter, Dhruv Jurel is in contention for the wicketkeeper’s role if required.
Don’t think going to keep Rishabh out of Test, no matter what: Ryan ten Doeschate
India are set to travel to Manchester on July 19 and will resume training soon after. Head coach Gautam Gambhir and assistant Ryan ten Doeschate have indicated that Bumrah is likely to play, given the match’s importance, while Pant is also expected to be fit, if not behind the stumps, then certainly with the bat.
We know we have got him for one of the last two Tests. It’s pretty obvious that the series is on the line now in Manchester, so there will be a leaning towards playing him. He (Pant) will bat in Manchester before the Test. Look, I don’t think you’re going to keep Rishabh out of the Test no matter what. He batted with quite a lot of pain in the third Test, and it’s only going to get easier and easier on his finger. And keeping’s obviously the last part of the process to make sure that he can keep. We don’t want to go through that again where we have to replace the keeper halfway through innings,” said Ten Doeschate as quoted by Times Now.
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