Major update on Rishabh Pant's fitness & return timeline ahead of IPL 2026

Rishabh Pant suffered an injured just ahead of the start of the ODI series against New Zealand at home.

The Indian Cricket Team are giving their best to defend their title in the ongoing T20 World Cup 2026. On the other hand, one of India’s star players, Rishabh Pant, has been struggling with injuries and trying his best to regain full fitness.

The wicketkeeper-batter is a sure starter in the Test team, but the team has struggled to find a consistent place for him in the playing XI in white-ball formats. He also suffered a foot injury while playing against England during the five-Test series, which caused him to miss a few matches, although he played some games afterward.

However, he was not fully fit and was dealing with several other injuries as well. Pant has a history of injuries; he missed the entire 2023 season and half of 2024 while recovering from injuries sustained in a car accident.

Despite these challenges, Pant has continued to show determination and resilience, working hard on his rehabilitation and fitness.

Rishabh Pant declared fully fit ahead of the IPL 2026

According to reports in Dainik Jagron, Rishabh Pant has been declared fit and will be available for both the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in the IPL and for India. The LSG franchise bought Pant in the 2025 IPL mega auction for a record-breaking INR 27 crore, making him the highest-paid player in IPL history.

He was appointed captain of the team, but his batting form was not at its best, and the team also failed to make it to the playoffs. His poor form with the bat attracted a lot of negative opinions and trolling, but the team showed confidence in him and retained him again.

Pant will once again be seen playing for the Lucknow-based franchise in the IPL, and his presence will be one of the most important factors in the tournament.

Rishabh Pant available for Indian team selection

Even though Rishabh Pant has not been a sure starter in the white-ball teams of the national side, he will still be considered for the squad and might even get the opportunity to be in the side if someone misses out.

The Indian team will be touring England for T20I and ODI series in July, and Pant’s performance in the IPL might dictate his selection in the team. However, in the Test team, he has always been a sure starter and has contributed with the bat across the world.

He was one of the main reasons the team won the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in 2021 and has also scored crucial runs in other overseas tours, including England and South Africa. The Indian team will also be touring New Zealand as well, and Pant will once again be an important player for the side.

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