Rishabh Pant’s place in India’s Test series against New Zealand is uncertain after he failed his first fitness test. Recovering from a side strain, he faces another assessment on November 9, while head coach Gautam Gambhir awaits medical clearance.
Team India wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant’s participation in the two-match Test series against New Zealand has been thrown into uncertainty after he failed the fitness tests at the BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru on Monday, November 1.
The Test leg of India’s New Zealand tour will kick off on November 19, with the opening match taking place at Basin Reserve in Wellington, followed by the second and final match of the series at Hagley Oval in Christchurch starting November 27. Team India recently won the T20I series 3-2, and now they will play the ODI leg of the tour starting on November 4 at Eden Park in Auckland.
Though there are still two weeks left before the opening Test match begins, Team India management leaves room for optimism over Rishabh Pant’s availability as he gets a second chance to prove his fitness before the team's scheduled departure.
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Rishabh Pant Fails First Fitness Assessment Tests
Rishabh Pant has been undergoing rehabilitation and recovery at the BCCI CoE in Bengaluru after he sustained a side strain while leading the Rest of India team against Jammu and Kashmir in the Irani Cup final in early October.
He has reportedly resumed batting and wicketkeeping drills as part of his recovery. However, the 28-year-old has suffered an initial setback after failing to clear the required benchmarks set by the BCCI medical staff. According to reports, Rishabh Pant did not meet the required physical benchmarks set by the BCCI medical team during his primary evaluation.
Though the wicketkeeper-batter did not experience any pain or physical discomfort during the recovery process, the medical team opted for caution to avoid risking a premature return. However, Pant will undergo another fitness Test on November 9, 10 days before the first Test against New Zealand in Wellington.
Due to side strain, followed by a rehabilitation and recovery process, Rishabh Pant was ruled out of the first two unofficial Tests between India A and New Zealand A. Now, Pant is unlikely to feature in India A’s final unofficial Test against New Zealand A in Lincoln on Saturday, November 7.
Rishabh Pant also missed four Ranji Trophy matches for Delhi in the ongoing season after sustaining the side strain during the Irani Cup final in early October.
Gambhir on Rishabh’s Availability for NZ Tests
Following India’s T20I series win over New Zealand, Gautam Gambhir was asked at the post-match press conference about Rishabh Pant’s fitness and his availability for the two-match Test series against New Zealand.
In response, Team India head coach Gautam Gambhir stated that he had no information about Pant’s availability for the upcoming Test series.
“At the moment, I have no information, and once I get it, we’ll share it with you,” he added.
Rishabh Pant was not included in the T20I and ODI squads for the New Zealand tour, as the BCCI selectors and Team India management had not considered him for the limited-overs assignments while he continued his recovery from a side strain.
He was, however, named in the 16-member Test squad, subject to fitness clearance.
Will Pant Be Fit in Time for the NZ Tests?
As Rishabh Pant is a crucial player in India’s Test setup, his absence could prove to be a significant blow for the visiting side in overseas red-ball conditions. Having failed the initial assessment of his fitness at BCCI CoE in Bengaluru, Pant will undergo a second round of evaluation on November 9 to determine his travel clearance.
Pant’s fitness tests include a match-simulation assessment, wherein the wicketkeeper-batter has to undergo a high-intensity 50-over workload session to replicate full match conditions. Since Rishabh Pant is an important player in Tests, the BCCI medical staff would be unlikely to risk him without total clinical and match-simulation clearance.
Since Rishabh Pant has reported no pain or discomfort during his recovery, he has reportedly resumed light cricket training at the BCCI CoE. However, the 29-year-old's return to competitive cricket will depend on clearing the match-simulation test scheduled for November 9.
If he passes the second match-simulation test, Pant is expected to fly directly to New Zealand and join the Indian squad in Wellington ahead of the opening Test. Rishabh Pant has played two Tests in New Zealand and scored 60 runs across four innings.
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