Pant walks off hurt after blows from Hazlewood
Rishabh Pant was forced to retire hurt after a tough passage against Josh Hazlewood, leaving Lucknow Super Giants with a concern early in the innings. Pant, batting at number three, struggled to handle the hard lengths and extra pace.
He was hit multiple times while attempting cross-batted shots, first on the left elbow and then around the lower ribs. The discomfort was visible. The physio was called in for treatment, with Pant unable to move his left arm freely. After a brief pause, he chose to walk off the field, with Nicholas Pooran coming in as the replacement.
The sequence raised questions about shot selection. Pant looked to attack from the start but failed to connect, nearly dragging one back onto the stumps before taking successive blows.
Retired Hurt explained: Pant can return if fit after injury break
Retired Hurt means a batter leaves the field due to injury or illness and is marked “not out,” with the option to return later if fit. Retired Out is different, where a player leaves voluntarily for tactical reasons and cannot return without the opposition captain’s approval, and it counts as a dismissal. Rishabh Pant has been retired hurt, so he can return if he recovers in time.
Big moment in the game as LSG lose captain early
This could be a turning point. Pant’s presence is central to LSG’s middle order, and his absence, even temporarily, shifts pressure onto the rest. At 32 for 1, the innings was still settling, and losing the captain at that stage disrupts plans.
The bigger concern is his condition. Will Pant return later, or is he done for the game? A blow to the elbow followed by one to the ribs is not easy to recover from quickly. The decision to walk off suggests caution.