Star Indian player Rishabh Pant is all set to join Team India for the upcoming Test series against New ZealandScroll down to read the full story.
Published: November 10, 2026, 9:26 PM IST
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Rishabh Pant set to join India for New Zealand Tests (Image – BCCI)
Rishabh Pant will travel to New Zealand on Thursday to join the Indian team for the upcoming Test seriesThis is good news for India as the wicketkeeper-batter is close to becoming fully fitBefore leaving for New Zealand, Pant will take part in a match practice session at the Centre of Excellence (CoE) on WednesdayThe session will help the team check his fitness before he starts playing again.
The medical team at the CoE is happy with Pant’s recoveryHe suffered a side injury during the Irani Cup in the first week of OctoberBecause of this injury, he had to stay away from cricket for some timeHe has now recovered well and is getting ready to return to the fieldThe practice session on Wednesday will help the team see how he is doing.
The rest of the Indian Test team has already reached New ZealandThe players have also started playing matches to prepare for the two-Test seriesPant will have around one week to prepare for the first TestThe match will start in Wellington on November 19He will get a few days to practise with the team before the series begins.
Pant had earlier asked the selectors to pick him for the India A team for the ongoing New Zealand tourHe wanted to play a few matches before joining the main teamThis would have helped him get back to playing cricket after his injuryHe also wanted more time to get used to playing conditions in New ZealandThe two-Test series is very important for India as the results could affect their chances of reaching the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
However, people close to the team management feel that Pant has enough experience to get ready for the first TestThey believe he can prepare well in the few days he has before the matchAfter reaching New Zealand, Pant will get time to practise with the other playersIndia will hope that he is fully fit and ready to play in the first Test on November 19.
“This is the first time in a long while that the Test players have got such extensive preparation time for an away Test seriesPant had been part of tours to Australia and England where the Indian team has played a Test match within one week of landing in the country,” a source told TOI.
