IND vs NZ: Rishabh Pant declared fit for New Zealand Test series

Team India is currently competing in the ongoing five-match ODI series against New Zealand. So far, three matches have been played, with the remaining two scheduled for November 13 and 15. Following the conclusion of the 50-over series, the two sides will face each other in a two-match Test series. The opening Test is scheduled to begin on November 19 in Wellington.

However, ahead of the red-ball series, Team India has received a major boost as premier wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant has been declared fully fit by the BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE). The left-handed batter has already flown to New Zealand to join the Test squad for the upcoming series.

Rishabh Pant had been recovering from a side strain that he sustained during the Irani Cup in early October while leading Rest of India. Since then, he has been undergoing rehabilitation at the BCCI Centre of Excellence.
When India's squad for the New Zealand Test series was announced, Pant was still in the recovery phase. His name appeared in the squad with an asterisk, indicating that his selection was subject to fitness clearance. He also missed the three-match unofficial Test series, further fuelling speculation that he could miss the upcoming international assignment. However, his recovery has now been completed.

Over the past couple of years, Pant has endured several injury setbacks on different occasions. Last year, he also suffered an injury to his right toe during India's tour of England, adding to his fitness concerns.

The upcoming Test series against New Zealand will be crucial for India as Shubman Gill and his men look to strengthen their chances of qualifying for the 2027 World Test Championship (WTC) final. India are currently placed fifth in the WTC standings, with seven matches remaining in their campaign. They will need to win at least five of those matches to remain in contention for a place in the final. A disappointing result in the upcoming red-ball series could seriously dent India's qualification hopes and potentially put them at risk of missing their second consecutive World Test Championship final.

India’s Test Squad for New Zealand tour

Shubman Gill (c), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Devdutt Padikkal, Sai Sudharsan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Anshul Kamboj, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, KL Rahul (vc), Dhruv Jurel (wk), Rishabh Pant (wk), Jasprit Bumrah, Akash Deep, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Kuldeep Yadav