Gautam Gambhir provides update on Rishabh Pant's injury status ahead of NZ Tests

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India head coach Gautam Gambhir has stated he currently lacks confirmation regarding wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant’s fitness for the upcoming two-match Test series against New Zealand.

Pant suffered an injury during the Irani Cup while captaining the Rest of India side, experiencing physical discomfort attempting a sweep shot. Although he batted in the second innings despite flu symptoms, he refrained from keeping wickets during Jammu and Kashmir’s second-innings chase. 

He is presently undergoing rehabilitation under the guidance of the BCCI medical team. The wicketkeeper’s timeline to return to competitive action will be determined following three to four skill-based training sessions.

Addressing Rishabh Pant‘s availability after India’s T20I series win, Gambhir said that he is unaware of any latest updates.

“At the moment I have no information, and once I get it, we’ll share it with you.”

Gautam Gambhir praises T20I squad after series win

Reflecting on India’s 3-2 T20I series triumph against New Zealand, Gambhir praised his team for overcoming tight scheduling, long travel, and climatic changes.

“It’s huge. We discussed in the dressing room that this tour was the toughest for the T20 side. The Test team and ODI players get time to prepare, but these boys had none. Around 70 to 80 per cent of them were visiting New Zealand for the first time,” Gambhir said.

“The weather conditions between where we came from and here are complete extremes. After just one practice session and a 15-hour flight, delivering that performance against a quality side deserves immense credit. Many people won’t talk about it, but it’s an achievement worth highlighting because these boys played under intense pressure without adequate preparation. They deserve tremendous credit,” he added.

Looking ahead to the three-match ODI series starting November 4, Gambhir said that India will field a fresh pace attack featuring Auqib Nabi, Anshul Kamboj, and Gurnoor, alongside senior fast bowler Arshdeep Singh.

“For me, winning every series is important, not just in New Zealand. It is challenging because this might be one of our most inexperienced ODI bowling attacks: Auqib Nabi has 1 match, Anshul Kamboj has 1 match, Gurnoor has 10–12 matches, and only Arshdeep has substantial experience among fast bowlers,” Gambhir said.

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