Rishabh Pant has received fitness clearance from the BCCI Centre of Excellence and has left for New Zealand ahead of India’s two-Test series, starting November 19.
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Rishabh Pant has received fitness clearance ahead of India’s Test series vs NZ (Photo: X)
India have received a major boost ahead of their upcoming Test series against New Zealand, with wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant getting fitness clearance from the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence (CoE)Pant left for New Zealand early on Thursday morning and is expected to join the Indian squad in Wellington on Friday.
The left-handed batter had been recovering from a side strain that kept him away from competitive cricket for several weeksHis fitness was a key concern for the team management, as his selection for the two-Test tour was subject to medical clearance.
Pant Completes Rehabilitation At BCCI Centre Of Excellence
Pant suffered the injury while leading the Rest of India side in the Irani Cup, which was played in Srinagar from October 1 to 4He began his rehabilitation at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru on October 23.
Although Pant was named in both India’s Test squad and the India A team for the three four-day matches against New Zealand A, he could not take part in any of those fixturesHis return was delayed as the medical team wanted him to complete further fitness assessments before giving him the green light.
The wicketkeeper was initially expected to join India A for the third match, played from November 7 to 10However, his recovery programme continued at the CoE, with the medical staff taking extra time to assess his readiness.
Pant’s Return Raises Wicketkeeper Selection Question
Pant’s arrival will give India another experienced option behind the stumps for the opening Test, which begins in Wellington on November 19However, the team management will have an important selection decision to make, with Dhruv Jurel also part of the squad.
Jurel impressed during the India A series against New Zealand A, scoring a century and a half-century across four inningsThe selectors will also have to consider the form of the other battersB Sai Sudharsan scored 91 and 88, while Devdutt Padikkal registered 199 and 80 in the four-day matches.
India could choose to play both Pant and Jurel, or select one wicketkeeper and include Sudharsan and Padikkal in the playing XI.
India Aim To Strengthen WTC Final Hopes
The two-Test series is important for India’s hopes of reaching the World Test Championship finalIndia are currently fourth in the standings, while New Zealand are at the top, followed by South Africa and Australia.
The opening Test will be played in Wellington from November 19, while the second match is scheduled to begin in Christchurch on November 27.
India’s Test squad: Shubman Gill [C], Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul [VC], Devdutt Padikkal, Rishabh Pant [WK], Dhruv Jurel [WK], Ravindra Jadeja, Anshul Kamboj, Jasprit Bumrah, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Sai Sudharsan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj
