Rishabh Pant to Rohit Sharma: Six instances of Bravery from India Players over the Years

Add as a preferred source on Google

The Tricolour of India exerts passion, love and respect among all Indians. The cricketers, who represent the country at the highest stage, carry a lot of pride in doing so.

In the 22 yards, they often give their everything for the cause of the nation, despite physical injuries or traumas.

Rishabh Pant has been hailed by the cricketing fraternity for his amazing bravery in the ongoing Test against England. The India vice-captain broke his right foot while playing a shot on Day 1 of Manchester Test. Despite having a broken foot, the star player came out to bat, albeit limping and struggling even to walk.

Pant added 17 runs to his overnight tally, and completed his half-century. But more than the runs, the immense passion and bravery for the country have been hailed across the globe. There have been previous instances when India players have defied odds and have taken field despite utmost physical injuries and discomforts.

In this article, we shall take a look at Six instances when India players' gallantry overcame their pain.

Rishabh Pant (2025)

During the fourth Test against England at Old Trafford, Pant fractured his right toe after attempting a reverse sweep. Despite initial retirement hurt and obvious pain with bleeding and swelling, he bravely returned to bat the next day wearing a protective moon boot. He was incapable of fully bearing weight but still ran singles to help his team, earning a standing ovation for his courage.

Anil Kumble (2002)

In a Test against West Indies at Antigua, Kumble suffered a broken jaw after being hit by a bouncer while batting. Bandaged heavily, he returned to bowl 14 overs in the second innings, even taking the crucial wicket of Brian Lara, showcasing immense toughness and commitment. Kumble is known for his fighting character and that match epitomized his mental steel.

Murali Vijay (2016)

Murali Vijay played through multiple matches with a fractured wrist during a home Test season including games against New Zealand, England, Bangladesh, and Australia, despite instructions to avoid power hitting. He ended the season as the third-highest run-scorer for India.

Shikhar Dhawan (2019)

The India batter Shikhar Dhawan batted with a fractured thumb in the 2019 World Cup match against Australia at The Oval, scoring an impressive 117 despite the serious injury, before being ruled out of the tournament.

Rohit Sharma (2022)

During the 2nd ODI against Bangladesh in December 2022, Rohit Sharma dislocated his thumb while fielding in the slips. He was taken for scans and didn't open the innings. However, in a dramatic return, he batted at No. 9 with heavy strapping and almost pulled off a miraculous win for India, scoring a valiant unbeaten 51 off 28 balls, showcasing immense grit despite the painful injury.

Sourav Ganguly (1999)

A prime Shoaib Akhtar hit Sourav Ganguly at his ribs in an ODI match in 1999 in Mohali. Sourav was rushed to hospital and scan revealed broken ribs. Astonishingly, he came back to the ground and took over the batting, scoring 57 runs in 90 balls against Pakistan in that match. Although India lost it, Ganguly earned a lot of plaudits for his resilience.