India have suffered a setback ahead of the three-match ODI series against New Zealand, with Rishabh Pant ruled out due to injury. According to reports, Pant picked up a side strain after being hit on the ribs during a net session in Vadodara and will miss the entire series.

The incident happened during India’s practice ahead of the first ODI. Pant was batting comfortably before a delivery struck him above the waist, leaving him in visible pain. He was immediately attended to by the support staff and did not continue the session.

Following scans and medical checks, doctors confirmed a side strain on the right side of his ribcage. As a result, the team management decided to rule him out to avoid further risk, dealing a blow to India’s plans for the series.

Dhruv Jurel called up as injury replacement

Dhruv Jurel has been named as Pant’s injury replacement for the ODI series. The young wicketkeeper-batter has been in fine form for Uttar Pradesh in the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy and joined the Indian squad on Saturday. Pant is expected to rest for a few days before reporting to the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru for further assessment and rehabilitation. He had recently shown good form in domestic cricket, scoring two half-centuries while leading Delhi into the knockout stage of the Vijay Hazare Trophy.

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This is not the first injury setback for Pant in recent times. He had earlier fractured his right foot during the fourth Test against England at Manchester and made his return through the home Test series against South Africa last year. Although he has been part of India’s ODI plans for the last two years, his last appearance in the format came during the Sri Lanka tour in August 2024.

With Pant sidelined, India may also consider Ishan Kishan as another wicketkeeping option, given his strong domestic performances. The ODI series against New Zealand will begin on January 11 at the Baroda Cricket Association Stadium in Vadodara, followed by matches in Rajkot on January 14 and Indore on January 18.