Table of Contents

Whether Rishabh Pant will play for India in the second Test between India and New Zealand in Pune or not, will be decided by India captain Rohit Sharma and coach Gautam Gambhir. This was reportedly confirmed by BCCI selector-in-chief Ajit Agarkar on October 21, 2024.

Rishabh Pant was struck on his right knee while keeping wickets. The knee is the same one that he underwent surgery on after injuring himself in a car accident.

Rishabh Pant, India’s big-hitting wicketkeeper-batsman, overcame a knee injury incurred on Day 2 while keeping wickets to score a rescue knock of 99 against New Zealand in the first Test. Pant ran hard between the wickets and formed a critical connection with his former Under-19 teammate Sarfaraz Khan to help India overcome a huge lead.

However, near the end of his knock, he struggled to run and limped. As India lost the first Test by eight wickets, his inclusion in the squad became even more important. However, it is unclear whether he will be fit to play the second Test in Pune, which begins on October 24.

Dhruv Jurel kept wickets for India in Pant’s absence and did a very tidy job for India.

Rohit Sharma explains why Rishabh Pant did not keep wickets during the second innings

After the match, India’s captain Rohit Sharma said he was “extra careful” with Rishabh Pant. He explained why Pant did not keep wickets during New Zealand’s second innings, despite stepping out to bat.

“He’s had a lot of minor surgeries and one big surgery on his knee and went through a lot of trauma, to be honest, in the last one and a half years. So it’s just about being extra careful, not just careful with him. When you’re keeping, you have to bend every ball with your knee going down and the wicket being what it was, we thought it is the right thing to do for him to stay inside and then get 100 percent ready for the next one,” Rohit had told reporters.

Is Rishabh Pant fit to play the 2nd Test vs New Zealand?

According to the Indian Express, the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee has left the decision on whether to play Rishabh Pant in the next Test to Gautam Gambhir and Rohit Sharma. Gambhir and Rohit are likely to meet the medical experts before making a final decision.

Rishabh Pant is a key player for India in Test cricket. He has consistently been one of the team’s best batters. Since returning to Test cricket after the life-threatening accident, he has scored a lot of runs in red-ball cricket.

Pant smashed a hundred in his first match on return against Bangladesh. Recently, he scored a magnificent 99 off 105 balls in the Bengaluru Test against New Zealand despite not being fully fit.

If Rishabh Pant does not participate in the next Test, Dhruv Jurel is expected to take his position. Jurel earned his Test debut in a series against England earlier this year. He had an excellent start to his Test career.

The 23-year-old was named Player of the Series in only his second Test at Ranchi. He has scored 190 runs in three Tests, with an average of 63.33. Jurel was also brilliant with his glovework, revealing hints of his talent.

Also Read: Parthiv Patel Namedrops Virat Kohli To Highlight Positives For India In 1st Test vs New Zealand