Rishabh Pant declared fit, set to join India’s squad for two-match Test series vs New Zealand

A week before the beginning of India’s two-match Test series against New Zealand from November 19 at the Basin Reserve in Wellington, the Indian side has received a good news as their wicket-keeper batter, Rishabh Pant, after weeks of uncertainty over his fitness, has been declared fit and will link up with the side on Friday as ESPNcricinfo reported. 

Pant was due to take part in the first couple of four-day matches between India A and New Zealand in Lincoln and Christchurch, and was then supposed to fly out in time for the third fixture between November 07 and 10. But his rehab got extended, as the medical side wanted him to spend more time.

Rishabh Pant clearance from the BCCI Centre of Excellence

In Wellington, Pant will reported join the squad along with captain Shubman Gill, KL Rahul, and Anshul Kamboj, who left the ODI squad against the Kiwis after the third ODI of the five-match series to prepare for the Test series.

It’s not clear if he would be available to get selected for the opening game, as his late arrival possess a question for the team-management. Would they keep going with Pant despite the current situation or they think of including inform Dhruv Jurel into the side.

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They also have a choice of picking only one of the two wicket-keepers and go with both Sai Sudharsan and Devdutt Padikkal instead. Jurel made a century and a fifty in the four innings against New Zealand A, while Padikkal made 199 and 80 in the five innings too.

India begin the two-Test series against New Zealand on November 19 in Wellington

The two-match red-ball series is very important for the Indian side for their chances to quality for the World Test Championship (WTC) 2025/27. The Shubman Gill-led side is currently at the fourth position of the table while the Blackcaps are at the top, followed by South Africa and Australia.

New Zealand squad: Tom Latham (captain), Tom Blundell (w.k), Devon Conway, Jacob Duffy, Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson, Daryl Mitchell, Henry Nicholls, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Mitchell Santner, Nathan Smith, Blair Tickner, Will Young

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India 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