Rishabh Pant Imam-ul-Haq Virat Kohli (Source: AFP)
Batter Imam-ul-Haq has been sent home from Pakistan’s 2026 Test tour of England following a major controversy surrounding a left calf injury he sustained during the second Test at Lord’s.
Due to the injury, Imam couldn’t continue to bat in the first innings. Despite his team being in very desperate need, suffering collapses in both innings, Imam did not come to bat as Pakistan lost heavily by an innings and 194 runs.
Imam-ul-Haq was called out by Stuart Broad for faking the injury
On Day 4 of the Test, Imam was spotted on the sidelines with his calf heavily taped, taking light throwdowns and knocking the ball around.
This public practice prompted former England fast bowler Stuart Broad to publicly accuse him of “putting on an act”. He ultimately did not bat in the second innings as Pakistan went down 2-0 in the series.
Notably, reports are emerging claiming that this was a repeated offence, citing a 2025 inquiry into a New Zealand tour in which the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) committee had allegedly recommended a ban for exaggerating injuries.
Thus, the nephew of former Pakistan captain and batting legend Inzamam-ul-Haq, Imam-ul-Haq’s injury controversy has sparked intense public backlash and accusations from former players and fans.
Indian cricketers show mirror to Pakistan cricketers using injury as an excuse
On the contrary, this reminds one and all of the times when cricketers have shown great bravery by playing through severe pain and serious injuries to help their teams win.
Some Pakistan cricketers, namely Imam-Ul-Haq, Mohammad Rizwan, and Haris Rauf, have used injury as an excuse to either change the course of the game or sit out of the playing 11.
Also read: Fresh Faces Added As Pakistan Revamps Squad For 3rd Test vs England
On the other hand, several Indian cricketers have, time and again, shown immense courage, leaving no stone unturned to help their team return to the game.
Along the same lines, take a look at some instances where Indian cricketers kept playing or came out to play even after injury.
1) Anil Kumble bowled with a fractured jaw (May 2002)
While talking about cricketers who exhibited incredible resilience by playing through injuries, Anil Kumble will be among the first names one could think of.
The courageous act of Kumble bowling with a broken jaw against a formidable West Indies is one of the most iconic moments in cricket history.
While batting, Kumble was struck by a bouncer from Mervyn Dillon and fractured his jaw. Despite the injury, the former Indian spinner refused to stay on the sidelines and returned to bowl in the second innings, with a heavily bandaged face.
Showing immense grit and determination, he bowled 14 consecutive overs and even managed to dismiss West Indies legend Brian Lara.
2) MS Dhoni batted with an ice pack vs England (April 2006)
During the 6th ODI against England at Keenan Stadium in Jamshedpur on April 12, 2006, India’s most successful captain, MS Dhoni, scored a 96-off 106 balls against England.
While his batting was certainly a treat to the eye, what garnered the most limelight was his batting with an ice-pack strapped to his back.
Throughout his knock, Dhoni was visibly battling physical discomfort due to the extreme heat and his back issues. Thus, used an ice pack to combat the pain.
Interestingly, in the same match, Dhoni had promoted himself to open the innings for the first time in his ODI career, but fell just four runs short of a well-deserved century.
3) Virat Kohli batted with 7 stitches in his left hand against KXIP (IPL 2016)
By many, the term ‘courage’ and the name 'Virat Kohli' go hand in hand.
Back on May 18, 2016, the former Indian captain played one of the most iconic innings in IPL history, scoring 113 runs off 50 balls against Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) while batting with 7 stitches in his left hand.
The Royal Challengers Bengaluru batter split the webbing between his fingers while attempting a diving catch against the Kolkata Knight Riders a few days prior, requiring stitches to his hand.
In a rain-marred must-win encounter for his team, Kohli, opening the batting, smashed 12 fours and 8 sixes to score 113 runs from just 50 balls.
After reaching the milestone, an emotional Virat Kohli pointed to his strapped-up hand in defiance, a gesture that went viral across social media.
4) Rishabh Pant batted with a fractured foot vs England (July 2025)
Showing great courage despite terrible injuries, who could have been better suited than a man who rose through the ranks again after surviving a near-fatal crash?
On July 24, 2025, during Day 2 of the fourth Test against England, Indian wicket-keeper batter Rishabh Pant bravely walked out to bat with a fractured right foot.
Also read: Rishabh Pant Opens Up Injury Struggle During Sri Lanka Tests In Emotional Insta Post
On Day 1, Pant attempted a reverse sweep against an inswinging yorker from England pacer Chris Woakes. The ball took an inside edge onto his foot and smashed directly into his right foot.
Visibly in severe pain and bleeding, he had to be carried off the field on a medical golf cart and was sent to the hospital for further treatment.
Despite being advised extensive rest, Pant hobbled out to resume his innings on the same day. Gravely discomforted and unable to run freely, he managed to score a courageous fifty before being dismissed by Jofra Archer.
5) Rohit Sharma batted with a heavily injured finger vs Bangladesh (December 2022)
Former Indian captain Rohit Sharma, on December 7, 2022, walked out during a 272-run chase against Bangladesh, hours after suffering a hand injury while fielding in the IND vs BAN 2nd ODI in Mirpur.
After Rohit suffered the injury in the very second over, Rajat Patidar was out to sub for him.
However, in the run-chase, India found itself at 65/4. Despite a late 124-run partnership for the fifth wicket, India was in shambles after Shreyas Iyer and Axar Patel were missed.
Rohit entered at no. 9 at the fall of Shardul Thakur’s wicket in the 43rd over.
Looking in extreme pain, Rohit sped off the blocks, with the equation reduced to 40 needed off 2 overs. Despite the injury, the then-Indian captain slammed five boundaries to finish unbeaten on 51 off 28 balls as India narrowly missed a victory by five runs.
Also read: Mumbai Appoint New Captain For Ranji Trophy; Shardul Thakur Replaced
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