Rishabh Pant clears fitness test, leaves for New Zealand to join Test squad

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Rishabh Pant cleared a series of match simulation exercises at the BCCI Centre of Excellence and left for New Zealand, boosting India's preparations for the first Test, starting November 19, in Wellington.

Wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant left for New Zealand on Thursday, November 12, after clearing a fitness test at the BCCI Centre of Excellence. In a major boost for the Shubman Gill-led Test side, Pant will be available for selection for the first Test, which begins on November 19.

Sources told India Today that Pant A pased a series of match simulation exercises, the last of which was on November 10. He left for New Zealand on Thursday morning and is scheduled to reach the country via Singapore.

Pant had been working hard on his rehabilitation at the CoE after a side strain, sustained during the Irani Cup in Srinagar in October, ruled him out of competitive action. He was initially named in India's A squad for the three unofficial Tests in New Zealand but was subsequently ruled out following the injury setback.

Pant had failed to clear his initial fitness test at the CoE on November 1. He was scheduled to undergo fresh assessments, including match simulations, on November 10, which he successfully completed.

The wicketkeeper-batter spent more than two weeks at the CoE, having arrived at the BCCI's world-class facility on October 23. His return to fitness comes as a significant boost for India ahead of a challenging two-Test series, although the team management will now have to work out a plan to get him acclimatised to New Zealand conditions without the benefit of a practice match.

Captain Shubman Gill, KL Rahul and Anshul Kamboj left the ongoing ODI series midway to join the Test squad in Wellington. Meanwhile, several of India's Test specialists, including Yashasvi Jaiswal, Devdutt Padikkal, Dhruv Jurel, Mohammed Siraj and Ravindra Jadeja, featured in an unofficial Test against New Zealand A in Lincoln to get accustomed to the conditions.

The Test specialists, who will be overseen by bowling coach Morne Morkel and assistant coach Sitanshu Kotak, began training in Wellington on Thursday.

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