Rishabh Pant out of India A's third unofficial Test against New Zealand A

Rishabh Pant has been ruled out of India A's third unofficial Test against New Zealand A, dealing a fresh blow to his preparations for the two-match Test series starting November 19.India tour of New Zealand: Rishabh Pant out of India A's third unofficial Test against New Zealand A (PTI Photo)New Delhi,Nov 1, 2026 18:20 ISTRishabh Pant's wait for a return to competitive cricket continues. The wicketkeeper-batter has been ruled out of India A's third and final unofficial Test against New Zealand A, starting November 7 in Lincoln, as a precautionary measure. With the first Test against New Zealand scheduled to begin on November 19 in Wellington, his availability for the series is now a concern for the Indian team management.Pant has resumed skill training and is reportedly experiencing no pain. However, there is still no clarity on when he will be ready to return to competitive cricket."Rishabh Pant has been ruled out of the third unofficial Test vs New Zealand A, as a precautionary measure. Although Pant has resumed skill training and is experiencing no pain, there is still no confirmed timeline for his return to competitive cricket," a BCCI source was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.Pant was expected to feature in the India A matches to get some valuable time in the middle before the senior team's two-Test series against New Zealand. However, he will now miss all three unofficial Tests on the tour. The wicketkeeper-batter had also missed the first two fixtures after suffering a left-side strain during the Irani Cup. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) subsequently named 21-year-old Jharkhand wicketkeeper Kumar Kushagra as his replacement.HOW DID PANT SUSTAIN THE INJURY?Pant picked up the injury while captaining Rest of India in the Irani Cup. He reportedly experienced discomfort on his left side while attempting a sweep shot during the first innings. Despite the problem, he returned to bat at No. 8 in the second innings. Pant was also battling flu symptoms and did not keep wickets during Jammu and Kashmir's chase.He has been recovering under the supervision of the BCCI medical team. While his return to skill training is a positive sign, the team management is unwilling to take any chances with his fitness.Pant's return-to-play timeline is expected to become clearer after he completes three to four skill sessions. His progress during these sessions will determine when he can return to competitive cricket.DHURV JUREL MAKES STRONG CASEPant's absence from the India A fixture leaves him with little opportunity to get match practice before the first Test against New Zealand. It also puts the spotlight on Dhruv Jurel, who has made a strong case for a place in the playing XI.Jurel scored a century for India A in the first innings of the ongoing second unofficial Test against New Zealand A in Christchurch. His performance has given the selectors and team management another option to consider if Pant is not fit in time.India will begin the two-match Test series in Wellington on November 19, with the second Test to follow. Pant's importance to the red-ball side is well established, but the team management will not want to risk his fitness by rushing him back.- Ends