Rishabh Pant failed his first fitness test at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru and will face another assessment in the coming days
Pant is recovering from a side strain sustained while playing for Rest of India against Jammu and Kashmir in the Irani Cup
The wicketkeeper-batter has been at the Centre of Excellence since October 23 and has started batting and wicketkeeping work
Rishabh Pant did not clear his first fitness test at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru. He will face another assessment in the next few days before he travels to New Zealand for the two-match Test series.
The series begins on November 19 at the Basin Reserve in Wellington. Pant’s fitness will shape India’s wicketkeeping plans for the tour, with selectors and team management now waiting for the result of the second test.
Pant suffered a side strain last month while turning out for Rest of India against Jammu and Kashmir in the Irani Cup in Srinagar. He has been out of action since that match.
Pant’s Recovery Timeline
Pant has been at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence since October 23 and has resumed batting and wicketkeeping. The BCCI medical staff will conduct another fitness test in the coming days before he is cleared to travel to New Zealand.
Pant’s progress has not earned approval yet. The BCCI medical staff will conduct another fitness test in the next few days before it decides whether he can travel to New Zealand.
Selection And Cover
If Pant clears the second fitness test, he is expected to play the third unofficial Test between India A and New Zealand A in Lincoln from November 7 to 10.
Pant was picked by BCCI selectors for all three unofficial Tests against New Zealand A. He was later ruled out of the first two red-ball games because of fitness-related issues.
Jharkhand wicketkeeper-batter Kumar Kushagra was named as Pant’s replacement for those first two matches. He did not feature in the playing XI.
If Pant fails again, his place for the New Zealand Tests will come under doubt. India have a backup ready. Dhruv Jurel, who is leading India A, will serve as the team’s wicketkeeper-batter for the series if Pant stays out.
Bumrah’s Return
Jasprit Bumrah will play for India A in the third unofficial Test against New Zealand A.
Bumrah is India’s second-highest wicket-taker in the World Test Championship. He has not played a red-ball match since November 2025.
He was rested for the one-off Test against Afghanistan in June 2026 and missed the two-Test series against Sri Lanka in August 2026 because of injury.
