Rishabh Pant wicket - (Source: ScreenGrab/Hotstar)
In the ongoing IPL 2026 match between RCB and LSG at the Chinnaswamy Stadium, Rishabh Pant turned back the clock and recreated his viral Manchester Test moment. Notably, brave-hearted Pant returned to bat despite walking off the field due to injury.
For the unversed, Rishabh Pant walked to bat in the 5th over. He played three balls and then got retired hurt following a lethal blow to his elbow off Josh Hazlewood's bowling. The fans were convinced that they won't see their captain back in action in the remainder of the match.
Rishabh Pant Returns To Bat Despite Injury
As soon as Pant left the field, LSG were in trouble and lost quick wickets. Notably, LSG were reduced to 118/5 after 15.5 overs. As the situation was tight, Rishabh Pant taped his elbow and walked down the ground recreating his iconic Manchester Test walk.
Also Read: Rishabh Pant Makes A Never-Seen-Before Entry In IPL To Bat vs RCB
For the unversed, India toured England in 2025 for a five-match Test series. In the 4th Test, Pant was hit on the foot by a Chris Woakes yorker. He suffered a fractured and left the field on a stretcher.
Eventually, Pant supported his side and walked down the stairs to bat despite a fractured foot. He garnered a lot of support for it and thought of same when he returned to bat against RCB. However, his dream return was ruined by Phil Salt's heroic effort.
Phil Salt's Stunner Crushes Rishabh Pant's Dream
On the 5th ball of the 17th over, Pant looked for his unorthodox shot against Bhuvneshwar Kumar. He looked for a couple of runs, but Phil Salt put a forward-diving catch to stun LSG skipper.
Phil Salt has plucked onto several brilliant catches in this season. Even in the first match between RCB and SRH, Salt took a brilliant catch to get rid of Ishan Kishan and Heinrich Klaasen. Thus, the Challengers must credit the English opener for restricting oppositions to a low score.
Notably, after the first innings, Bhuvneshwar Kumar too praised Phil Salt's efforts. βPhil Salt and Tim David were brilliant in the fielding department, one of the reasons we could bowl them out for under 150," he remarked.
Rishabh Pant's IPL 2026 Season Going Downhill
While Pant earned appreciation for showing bravery, the fans are also concerned about his form. He started IPL 2026 on a high with a fifty, but now, he has just 104 runs in five innings.
Also Read: Rohit Sharma's Latest Injury Update Ahead Of MI Vs PBKS IPL Match
The southpaw has also experimented with his batting position and nothing seems to be working for the LSG captain. It is to be seen when will he return to his best. Talking about the ongoing match, at the time of writing this article, RCB are 9/1 while chasing 147.
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