Rishabh Pant ruled out of first two India A matches against New Zealand A

Cricketer Rishabh Pant (ANI Photo) Rishabh Pant's injury has forced a change to India's preparations for their upcoming red-ball tour of New Zealand, with wicketkeeper-batter Kumar Kushagra named as his replacement for the first two matches.

Pant, who was initially selected subject to fitness, has been ruled out after sustaining a left-side strain during the Irani Cup, leaving his availability for the third fixture uncertain.

Watch 'I want to be uncomfortable in practice': Abhishek Sharma press conference reveals batting approach Pant ruled out of first two matches after Irani Cup injury Pant sustained the left-side strain while captaining Rest of India in the Irani Cup, prompting the selectors to make a change to the India A squad.

The wicketkeeper-batter's participation in the New Zealand tour had been subject to fitness clearance.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) confirmed that Pant remains under the supervision of its medical team and is recovering well.

A decision on whether he can feature in the third match will be taken at a later stage.Kushagra will join an India A squad led by Dhruv Jurel for the three-match multi-day series against New Zealand A, which begins on October 24.

The tour will provide India's players with valuable red-ball preparation in New Zealand conditions.Join conversation Share your thoughts in the comments Be respectful · TOI community guidelines India A vs New Zealand A: Full schedule India A will play three multi-day matches against New Zealand A across two venues, with the series starting in Lincoln before moving to Christchurch for the second game.

MatchDatesVenue1st multi-day matchOctober 24–27, 2026Lincoln2nd multi-day matchOctober 31–November 3, 2026Christchurch3rd multi-day matchNovember 7–10, 2026Lincoln India A squad for New Zealand tour Captain: Dhruv Jurel Wicketkeepers: Dhruv Jurel, Kumar Kushagra (first and second matches) Batters: Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Devdutt Padikkal, Ravichandran Smaran, Sai Sudharsan, Yash Rathod All-rounders: Washington Sundar, Auqib Nabi, Anshul Kamboj, Manav Suthar Bowlers: Akash Deep, Mukesh Choudhary, Mukesh Kumar Kushagra's inclusion adds another wicketkeeping option to the squad for the opening two matches, while the selectors await further clarity on Pant's recovery.Senior players add experience to India A setup The squad features several players with senior international experience, including KL Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sai Sudharsan and Washington Sundar.