Rishabh Pant Ruled Out Of First Two India A Matches In New Zealand

Rishabh Pant, ruled out of the first two matches of India A's tour of New Zealand, is carrying a left side strain. The BCCI confirmed it on Monday. Kumar Kushagra comes in for those two games. Pant picked up the strain while captaining Rest of India in the Irani Cup.

India A play three four-day matches in New Zealand between 24 October and 10 November. Lincoln and Christchurch host them. A decision on Pant's availability for the third match will follow later. Kushagra covers the first two.

The side strain from the Irani Cup

Pant led Rest of India in the Irani Cup and hurt his left side during that game. The board said he "remains under the care of the BCCI Medical Team and is recovering well." The release was signed by honorary secretary Devajit Saikia. It set no return date beyond the two matches he will sit out.

His place on the tour was always conditional. The BCCI had named him for New Zealand with his availability tied to fitness. Monday's advisory converted that condition into a specific absence. The third match is the only one still open to him.

Kushagra named for the first two matches

The Men's Selection Committee named Kushagra for the first and second matches only. He keeps wicket. So does Dhruv Jurel, who captains the side, which leaves India A with two specialist keepers for the opening fortnight of the tour.

The wording of the release matters for what comes next. Kushagra is attached to two fixtures, not to the tour. If Pant is cleared, the squad reverts without a further call-up. If he is not, the selectors have to name someone for the third match.

India A's squad for the New Zealand tour

• Dhruv Jurel, captain and wicketkeeper
• Yashasvi Jaiswal
• KL Rahul
• Devdutt Padikkal
• Sai Sudharsan
• Ravichandran Smaran
• Yash Rathod
• Washington Sundar
• Manav Suthar
• Anshul Kamboj
• Auqib Nabi
• Akash Deep
• Mukesh Kumar
• Mukesh Choudhary
• Kumar Kushagra, wicketkeeper, first and second matches only

Three four-day matches from 24 October

The first match starts on 24 October. The series closes on 10 November. Lincoln and Christchurch share the fixtures. Pant is eligible for the last of the three if the medical team clears him, and the BCCI has said that call comes later.

KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal head the top order. Sai Sudharsan and Devdutt Padikkal are also in it. The bowling runs through Akash Deep, Mukesh Kumar, Mukesh Choudhary, Anshul Kamboj and Auqib Nabi, with Manav Suthar and Washington Sundar the spin options.

That is four seamers for New Zealand conditions and two spinners between them. Ravichandran Smaran and Yash Rathod fill out the batting. Fifteen names travel. Kushagra is tied to two of the three matches, so the party thins by one for the closing fixture unless Pant is passed fit.