Rishabh Pant fitness: Gambhir has no update ahead of NZ Tests

India head coach Gautam Gambhir said in Hamilton on Sunday, 1 November, that he has no update on Rishabh Pant’s fitness for the two-Test series against New Zealand, and would share one once he gets it. He was speaking at the press conference after India’s 3-2 T20I series win, in which New Zealand took the fifth T20I by 7 wickets, chasing India’s 191/8 with 195/3 in 18 overs.

What is known about the injury

Pant is in India’s Test squad for New Zealand, subject to fitness. He missed the India A tour of New Zealand after an injury he picked up during the Irani Trophy.

The BCCI said he had sustained a side strain in the Irani Cup and would miss the first two India A four-day matches, the first of which started on 24 October. An ANI report on 26 October said he had begun light training at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru, including batting drills, but had not yet resumed wicketkeeping.

The next checkpoint

Pant has been added to the India A squad for the third unofficial Test against New Zealand A in Lincoln, from 7 to 10 November, subject to clearance from the BCCI medical staff.

The first Test begins in Wellington on 19 November, and the second follows in Christchurch from 27 November.

What’s next

India’s focus first turns to the five-match ODI series, which starts with the first ODI against New Zealand in Auckland on Wednesday, 4 November, at 7:30 AM IST. Gambhir also described the tour as a challenging one for the T20I squad, who had little time to prepare before the series.