Rishabh Pant will miss India A’s final four-day game against New Zealand A in Lincoln because of his side strain, CricTracker and Sports Tak reported, with Tilak Varma drafted in and Jasprit Bumrah and Ravindra Jadeja added to the squad. We found no BCCI statement on the change.
Lincoln was the last first-class game on the calendar before the first Test in Wellington on 19 November. If Pant does make that Test, he will arrive with no competitive cricket since the Irani Cup in early October.
Reading time: 3 minutes
Key points
- Rishabh Pant is reported out of India A’s game against New Zealand A in Lincoln from 7 to 10 November
- Tilak Varma has joined the squad, and Jasprit Bumrah and Ravindra Jadeja have been added
- The first Test starts in Wellington on 19 November, and Pant’s place depends on a Return to Play assessment
Where Pant’s recovery stands
Pant strained his left side while captaining Rest of India in Srinagar, then missed all three India A games. He failed a first fitness assessment at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru on 1 November, and CricTracker says his place in the Test series now depends on a Return to Play assessment.
A Times of India report, cited by News Karnataka, says a match-simulation test is due on 9 November and that Pant could fly straight to Wellington if he clears it. That is one report, and the BCCI has not confirmed the date.
Tilak replaces the name, Jurel does the job
Tilak’s arrival gives India A another batter, not another keeper. He averages 57.12 across 25 first-class matches, according to CREX, and has the top-order runs that an A side needs for four days.
The gloves stay with Dhruv Jurel, who has captained India A through both drawn games and made big runs in Christchurch. He is already in the 16-man Test squad, and Sports Tak says he takes over the wicketkeeping in Wellington if Pant is not fit. On current evidence that looks the more likely team sheet: Jurel has kept in both games on this tour and Pant has played in neither.
Why Bumrah and Jadeja are in Lincoln
Neither is in the ODI squad, so this is their red-ball run before the Tests. Sports Tak says Bumrah has trained twice with the group since arriving, and that Jadeja took seven wickets in two Ranji Trophy outings and scored a century. Prasidh Krishna, back from a hamstring strain, is also set to play.
The stakes go beyond one Test. Sports Tak has India fourth in the World Test Championship on 51.52%, with New Zealand top on 72.22%, and seven Tests left: two here and five at home to Australia. This is India’s first Test tour of New Zealand since early 2020.
What happens next
The Lincoln game runs from 7 to 10 November at Bert Sutcliffe Oval. The Test series starts at the Basin Reserve on 19 November and moves to Christchurch from 27 November. Meanwhile the ODI side, 1-0 up after Auckland, plays in Wellington on Saturday.
Market watch
- Treat any Wellington price that assumes Pant is playing with care until a fitness result is announced. Jurel is the alternative already in the squad.
- A keeper-batter swap matters most in player-run markets, because Pant and Jurel do not bat at the same tempo.
- Watch how many overs Bumrah and Jadeja bowl in Lincoln. A heavy workload would be a better guide to their readiness than a squad list.
For more, see the latest match predictions and upcoming fixtures in our match centre.
Top image: Photo: PaddyBriggs / Public domain via Wikimedia Commons
This article provides information and analysis, not betting advice. All betting carries risk, and losses are more likely than guaranteed returns. Please make independent decisions and bet responsibly. 18+ only.
Pradeep Singh
Pradeep Singh is a cricket betting expert with 17+ years of experience. His work is in The Times of India, Hindustan Dainik, and Dainik Bhaskar, covering cricket betting and gambling news.
At cricket-betting.net, he is our in-house expert, writing betting guides, match analysis, and news about cricket betting markets.
