Rishabh Pant RULED OUT of first two New Zealand A Tests; Replacement named
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Rishabh Pant suffered injury during Irani Cup 2026.
India A are set to tour New Zealand for a three-match multi-day series starting on October 24. The series will give several Indian players a chance to prepare for overseas red-ball cricket conditions. The squad includes experienced international players such as KL Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sai Sudharsan and Washington Sundar.
Dhruv Jurel will lead the India A side during the tour. The three matches will be played in Lincoln and Christchurch, with the final game scheduled to begin on November 7. The series will also provide an opportunity for players to strengthen their position in the Indian Test team.
However, India A have suffered a setback before the start of the tour, as wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant will miss the opening two matches due to an injury.
Rishabh Pant ruled out of first two matches against New Zealand A; Kumar Kushagra named replacement
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Rishabh Pant has been ruled out of the first two four-day matches of India A’s tour of New Zealand as he continues to recover from a left-side strain. He sustained the injury while captaining Rest of India in the Irani Cup.
Pant’s selection for the New Zealand tour was initially subject to fitness clearance. However, he will now miss the first two matches as he continues his recovery under the supervision of the BCCI Medical Team.
The selectors will assess his availability for the third match at a later stage. His participation in the final game will depend on his recovery and fitness.
The Men’s Selection Committee has named Kumar Kushagra as Pant’s replacement for the first two matches against New Zealand A.
The 21-year-old wicketkeeper-batter has been in good form in first-class cricket. He recently scored a century in the Duleep Trophy final and also registered a hundred against Australia A in Puducherry.
He has scored two centuries in his last three first-class matches, making him an important addition to the squad. With Pant unavailable, Dhruv Jurel is expected to take the primary wicketkeeping role for the opening two games, while Kushagra will provide another option behind the stumps.
India A Updated Squad for New Zealand Tour
Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Devdutt Padikkal, Ravichandran Smaran, Dhruv Jurel (C & WK), Washington Sundar, Auqib Nabi, Akash Deep, Anshul Kamboj, Manav Suthar, Mukesh Choudhary, Sai Sudharsan, Yash Rathod, Mukesh Kumar and Kumar Kushagra (wicketkeeper for the first two matches).
Who has replaced Rishabh Pant in the India A squad?
Kumar Kushagra has been named as Pant’s replacement for the first two matches.
When will the India A vs New Zealand A series begin?
The three-match multi-day series will begin on October 24, 2026, in Lincoln, New Zealand.
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