Rishabh Pant fails fitness test at BCCI CoE, faces second assessment before New Zealand tour
Rishabh Pant failed a fitness test on Sunday at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru and has been offered a second assessment before the India men’s team departs for their tour of New Zealand. The issue affects his availability for the two-match Test series scheduled to begin on November 19, 2026.
India are currently touring New Zealand; after the T20Is the itinerary features five One-Day Internationals and two Tests, with the first Test set for Wellington. Pant is described in the report as India’s first-choice wicketkeeper-batter and a key member of the batting lineup.
The fitness evaluation Pant missed was conducted at the Centre of Excellence and he has been given another opportunity to clear the test before boarding the flight to New Zealand. Medical staff are likely to arrange the follow-up assessment within the next two days, and the report states that if Pant clears it he will be allowed to travel to New Zealand.
Pant is expected to join the India A squad for the third four-day match against New Zealand A beginning in Lincoln on November 7 as part of preparations for the Test series. He has been at the BCCI Centre of Excellence since October 23 while undergoing rehabilitation and monitoring.
The injury traces to a side strain Pant suffered while captaining the Rest of India against Jammu and Kashmir in the Irani Cup in early October, when he reportedly felt discomfort trying to play a sweep shot in the first innings. After Pant was initially ruled out on October 12, selectors named uncapped wicketkeeper-batter Kumar Kushagra for the first two four-day matches against New Zealand A; Kushagra did not play in either match, with captain Dhruv Jurel taking over the wicketkeeping duties.
The report notes India sit fourth in the World Test Championship points table and will need to win almost all remaining matches to move into the top two and qualify for the final, and that they will face opponents including New Zealand and Australia. The piece also states that Pant has been one of India’s top performers over the past decade and that his overseas contributions, including match-winning displays, could be important for India’s prospects.
Medical staff are expected to schedule Pant’s second fitness test within the next two days; if he passes that assessment he will be permitted to travel and rejoin preparations, including the India A four-day match in Lincoln, ahead of the two-Test series beginning on November 19, 2026, in Wellington.