As he gingerly walked down from the external staircase of the Indian dressing room at the Old Trafford Stadium, Rishabh Pant looked no less than an injured Gladiator.

The majority present gave him a standing ovation. There was pain and when he was seen talking to his head coach Gautam Gambhir, it didn’t seem he would take the punt. Just like it was a punt to reverse sweep a loopy dipping yorker off a Chris Woakes delivery that warranted any but that shot. And it was an even bigger punt to come out to bat with an already fractured foot.

But then if there is no punt, there is no Pant. Even an eternal optimist would bet against Pant entering the middle less than 24 hours after copping a heavy blow on his right foot but here was leaving every soul at the storied ground in awe. Pant, who retired hurt on 37 overnight, could barely walk for singles, but the fighter in him kept him going nonchalantly. The 54 in terms of value would worth 154.