Star Indian wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant did not keep for India in the second innings of the first Test against New Zealand last week in Bengaluru, owing to a knee injury, which led to questions about his fitness and whether he would play in the remaining matches of the home series. But according to a report in Indian Express dated Monday (October 21), the 27-year-old cricketer is fit for the second Test against the Black Caps set to be played at Maharashtra Cricket Association (MCA) Stadium, Pune starting Thursday (October 24) onwards.
Pant suffered a knee injury while playing during the second day’s play of the first India-New Zealand Test, which the host team lost by 8 wickets upon conclusion on October 20 (Sunday).
Reportedly, during his 99-runs innings in the second innings, while having taken shots, Pant was in discomfort, but he has now healed and reserved for the second Test in Pune.
Dhurv Jurel wicket-kept for India for most of the first Test instead of Pant, and there were possibilities of him being able to play ‘in yunita’ as a wicketkeeper-batter in the Pune.
In the post-match press conference held Sunday, when Indian captain Rohit Sharma was questioned about the fitness of Pant and its impact on the knee, he responded that since team management was aware of Pant’s situation, they did not want to put him at risk, recalling that Pant last played a match in competitive cricket in March 2024 after more than 14 months of inactivity due to several injuries sustained in a car crash on December 30, 2022.
“His (Rishabh Pant’s) leg has been through a major surgery which we all know what it entails,” Rohit stated. “In the last one and a half years, to be honest, he has undergone several minor procedures, one major knee surgery, and has suffered a great deal. There is no over-cautiousness with him, it’s just an emphasis on being extra careful. Even when he was batting, he was uncomfortable with the running. He was just looking to hit the ball out very far into the stands.”
