Rishabh Pant has effectively been ruled out of the third unofficial Test between India A and New Zealand A. The four-day encounter, hosted in Lincoln, is set to run from November 7 to 10. The 29-year-old wicketkeeper-batter, who has been nursing a side strain at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru, is scheduled to undergo a vital fitness assessment between November 9 and 10.
Should the medical team provide the necessary clearance, expectations are that Pant will travel to join the senior squad for the two-match Test series against New Zealand. The opening Test is slated to begin on November 19 at the Basin Reserve in Wellington, followed by the second fixture in Christchurch from November 27 to December 1. While he has not undergone recent fitness testing, there is reported optimism regarding his recovery, and the player is aiming to depart for New Zealand by November 10 or 11. A formal clearance has evidently not come through yet.
Pant has been absent from international competition since late August, when he featured in the second Test against Sri Lanka in Colombo. His subsequent attempt to captain Rest of India during the Irani Cup was cut short due to his ongoing physical struggles. Despite this interruption, his value to the side remains high; he recorded three half-centuries in his three most recent Test appearances and was a standout performer during last year’s tour of England, where he accumulated 479 runs across four matches. In England last year, scoring 479 runs across four Tests, he was also among India’s leading performers on their last Test tour outside the subcontinent.
As it stands, no formal fitness tests have been scheduled in the immediate future. Consequently, if Pant secures his spot in the Test lineup, he will be heading into the series without the benefit of a warm-up game, a contrast to his teammates who have managed to secure match time. Meanwhile, in other squad developments, Jasprit Bumrah is anticipated to be available for selection and is expected to link up with the India A group in time for the third four-day match in Lincoln. No fitness tests have been conducted recently, and none are scheduled in the coming days, according to sources. Which is part of the World Test Championship (WTC) cycle, sources indicate that Pant is optimistic about being available for the series.
