Rishabh Pant has been ruled out for the opening two unofficial Tests in India A’s upcoming tour of New Zealand due to a side strain. The BCCI has named 21-year-old Jharkhand wicketkeeper Kumar Kushagra as his replacement.
Pant sustained the injury while playing in the Irani Cup, captaining the Rest of India side. He was attempting a sweep during the first innings when the strain occurred. Battling the flu, Pant batted at No. 8 in the second innings and was unable to perform wicketkeeping duties while Jammu & Kashmir were chasing.
The BCCI’s medical team is supervising Pant’s recovery and will decide on his participation in the series’ final match on November 7. The Delhi and Districts Cricket Association confirmed Pant withdrew from the Ranji Trophy opener that commenced on October 11.
Kushagra recently played in three red-ball matches against Australia A in Puducherry, impressing with a century in the series opener. He will accompany the India A team, captained by Dhruv Jurel, set to depart for New Zealand on October 16. Their first test is scheduled to begin on October 24 in Lincoln, followed by a second match at the Hagley Oval in Christchurch. The tour will conclude in Lincoln by November 7.
India’s senior squad will also be in New Zealand during this time, participating in a series featuring five T20 matches and two Tests. While Pant is the top choice for wicketkeeping in the longer format of the game, he is currently not included in the white-ball selections.
India A’s Squad for First Two Matches Against New Zealand A:
Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Devdutt Padikkal, R Smaran, Dhruv Jurel (captain, wicketkeeper), Washington Sundar, Auqib Nabi, Akash Deep, Anshul Kamboj, Manav Suthar, Mukesh Choudhary, Sai Sudharsan, Yash Rathod, Mukesh Kumar, Kumar Kushagra (wicketkeeper)
The changes in the India A squad mark a dynamic shift in their preparations for the New Zealand tour and will test the depth and resilience of the team in Pant’s absence.
