With 2nd ODI starting in Rajkot tomorrow, India suffered a huge blow as the only designated wicket-keeper batsman is ruled out from the game.
The 1st ODI between Australia and India turned out to be a one-sided affair. Australia was utterly dominant and hammered India in all the 3 departments of the game as a result won the game without losing even a single wicket chasing 255 runs. Earlier Australia won the toss and asked India to bat first on an unusual Wankhede pitch which helped bowlers a bit. India was in a strong position at one stage when they were 135-1 in the 28th over mark. Australians pulled back things big time when they triggered a collapse which saw Indians tumbled from 135-1 to 165-5. Rishabh Pant and Jadeja tried to lift India from a crisis situation but Australian fast bowlers Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starcnever allowed Indians to get back on track. Rishabh Pant once again had a good start to his innings but got out to a ball which made him look like a schoolboy from Cummins. The bouncer which was bowled at high 140KMPH hit the Pant’s bat and went on to hit the helmet which shook him for a second and then landed into the hands of Turner in the point region.
Pant didn’t take the field in the Australian innings and was taken to hospital.
The new No:3 batsman KL Rahul who stood as a stand-in wicketkeeper for Pant in the 1st ODI in all likelihood will don the gloves in the 2nd ODI as well as there is no replacement named for Pant.
Meanwhile, Rishabh Pant was discharged from hospital after overnight monitoring and the scans reported nothing major. The southpaw will now head to NCA in Bangalore for further assessment.