Team India’s preparations for the 2026 home season have hit a major snag as Rishabh Pant was officially ruled out of the three-match ODI series against New Zealand on Sunday, January 11.
The 28-year-old sustained the injury during an optional practice session at the BCA ‘B’ Ground on Saturday evening. While facing a high-velocity delivery from a throwdown specialist, Pant was struck just above the waist on the right side of his ribcage. He was seen grimacing in pain and collapsing to his knees before being assisted off the field by head coach Gautam Gambhir and the medical team.
Medical Assessment: Side Strain & Muscle Tear
Initial scans have confirmed a right-sided strain and a tear in the internal oblique muscle.
- Recovery Timeline: The BCCI medical team has estimated a recovery period of at least 10–14 days.
- Next Steps: Pant is set to leave the team hotel in Vadodara today and will report to the BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru for intensive rehabilitation.
Who Replaces the ‘Spidey’?
Since KL Rahul is the primary wicketkeeper in the current ODI setup, India is not in a desperate rush for a starting replacement. However, the selectors are expected to announce a backup keeper for the remaining games in Rajkot and Indore.
- Top Contender: Ishan Kishan, who has been in blistering form in the Vijay Hazare Trophy (including a recent 33-ball century), is the frontrunner for a recall.
- The Dark Horse: Dhruv Jurel is also under consideration following his consistent performances in domestic List-A cricket.
Vadodara Prepares for “Ro-Ko” Return
Despite the Pant setback, the atmosphere at the Kotambi Stadium is electric as the first ODI begins at 1:30 PM IST today.
- The Captaincy: Shubman Gill leads the side, returning from a neck injury that sidelined him during the South Africa tour.
- The Big Two: Fans have turned out in record numbers to witness Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in action. Both veterans are coming off a successful Vijay Hazare stint, with Kohli having hammered 208 runs in just two games.
- The Opposition: New Zealand, led by Michael Bracewell, fields a relatively experimental side as they balance their ODI commitments with preparations for the upcoming 2026 T20 World Cup.
Revised India Squad for NZ ODIs
Shubman Gill (C), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul (WK), Shreyas Iyer (VC), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna, Harshit Rana, Nitish Kumar Reddy.