Rishabh Pant’s injury was the biggest talking point of the first day’s play in Manchester.
The wicketkeeper-batter, who was putting pressure on the English bowlers with his audacious strokes, inside-edged a reverse sweep off Chris Woakes' yorker on to his right boot.
With some bleeding and swelling on his foot, Pant walked off the field on a medical buggy as he was retired hurt on a score of 37 runs.
As the cricket world awaits an official update on the extent of Rishabh Pant's injury, even England greats like Nasser Hussain and Stuart Broad are praying for the southpaw’s quick recovery.
“It has been India's day – except for the injury to Pant. That is a big blow and it will be interesting what we hear overnight about that. Hopefully he is okay. This game needs Pant and the series has been blessed by having him in it,” Hussain said on Sky Sports.
“Both sets of fans cheered him today when he came out to bat,” he added.
Recently-retired paceman Broad hoped that it was only a bad bruise for Pant and that the left-hander would return to play on Day 2 in Manchester.
“Pant has been wonderful to watch and commentate on. He's wonderful for world cricket, and we hope he recovers. The medical staff will be icing that swelling all night, and hopefully it's just a bruise and he can come out to bat,” Broad said.
Former England opener Michael Atherton also shared his thoughts on Rishabh Pant's injury, suggesting the wicketkeeper-batter could be out for the remainder of the series as the injury does appear quite serious.
"If he is out of the game...if he's out of the series, then that's a massive blow to India and puts the day in a different light. That 264 for four becomes 264 for five, and with that new ball due, there is a potential to knock India over reasonably swiftly tomorrow. But if he returns to bat, he could change the game. So there is an uncertainty which we don't know. But it looked like a quite serious injury, because you don't get carted off otherwise," Atherton remarked.
Coming to the match, half-centuries from Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sai Sudharsan propelled India to 264/4 at stumps. Ravindra Jadeja (19*) and Shardul Thakur (19*) will resume batting for India on Day 2.