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Sports

Rishabh Pant fails fitness Test ahead of India’s Test series against New Zealand

hellohimachalse@gmail.com 02 Nov 2026 1 hour ago

New Delhi: Team wicket-keeper batter Rishabh Pant has failed to clear his first fitness test at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru ahead of the upcoming Test series against New Zealand. Pant recently recovered from a side strain and will have to prove his fitness in order to get clearance for the New Zealand Test series.

Pant sustained a side strain while playing for the Rest of India against Jammu & Kashmir in the Irani Cup in Srinagar last month and has been out of action ever since. As per a report in ESPN Cricinfo, Pant has resumed batting and keeping at the CoE but failed to clear his first fitness test.

The BCCI medical team will arrange another fitness test for the wicket-keeper batter before clearing him to travel to New Zealand. The two-match Test series between India and is scheduled to get underway on November 19.

Pant is expected to be part of the India A’s playing XI in their third unofficial Test against New Zealand A in Lincoln if he manages to clear his second fitness test at the CoE in Bengaluru. He was initially named in India A’s squad for all three unofficial Test matches but was later ruled out of the first two games due to injury issues.

What happens if Rishabh Pant fails second test?

If Pant fails to clear the second fitness test, there will be question marks about his availability for the two-match Test series against New Zealand. In that case, India might keep Dhruv Jurel as the only designated wicket-keeper batter in the squad.

India might also hand a maiden Test call-up to Jharkhand wicket-keeper Kumar Kushagra, who was Pant’s replacement in the India A squad for the first two unofficial Tests against New Zealand A. Meanwhile, Jasprit Bumrah is reportedly set to play in the third unofficial Test against New Zealand A ahead of the Test series.

Bumrah has not played a Test match for India since November last year due to injury issues and will take part in the India A game to warm up for the Test series against the Kiwis.

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