India, July 24 -- Rishabh Pant fought pain and England's hostility to register a brave half-century on day two of the fourth Test in Manchester, dragging India to a total of 358 despite battling a fractured toe. His counter-attacking fifty, the 19th in his Test career, stood out for the sheer defiance it symbolised, coming just hours after he was rushed to the hospital after the end of the first day's play.

Pant had retired hurt after being struck on the foot while attempting a reverse scoop, and scans later confirmed a fracture that ruled him out of wicketkeeping duties for the remainder of the Test. However, he was cleared to bat, and the southpaw returned to the crease on Thursday morning once Ravindra Jadeja and Shardul Thakur had fa...