India wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant has been ruled out of the upcoming three-match ODI series against New Zealand following a fresh injury sustained during a practice session. The setback occurred on the eve of the opening match when Pant was struck near the waist while batting against throwdown specialists in the nets. He was seen in visible discomfort and was immediately attended to by the Indian team’s medical staff along with head coach Gautam Gambhir.
Subsequent medical examinations revealed the injury to be serious enough to sideline Pant for the entire series. He has since exited the Indian camp. The Board of Control for Cricket in India has confirmed Dhruv Jurel as Pant’s replacement in the squad.
In an official statement the BCCI said Pant experienced sudden pain in his right lateral abdominal region during training at the BCA Stadium in Vadodara. MRI scans later confirmed an oblique muscle tear commonly referred to as a side strain leading to his exclusion from the ODI series.
Dhruv Jurel earns his call-up after an impressive domestic season where he emerged as Uttar Pradesh’s leading run-scorer in the Vijay Hazare Trophy amassing 558 runs in seven matches including two centuries with an average above 90.
Pant’s international journey has been repeatedly interrupted by injuries in recent years. His career was significantly affected by a serious road accident in 2022 which kept him away from competitive cricket for an extended period. He also missed key matches last year after suffering a toe injury while attempting a reverse sweep against England.
Despite earlier reports suggesting his omission Pant was named in the ODI squad against New Zealand marking a potential return after last featuring in the format in August 2024 against Sri Lanka. Across 31 ODIs Pant has scored 871 runs with an average of 33.50 and a strike rate exceeding 106 including one century.
India’s revised squad for the New Zealand ODIs now includes Shubman Gill as captain Rohit Sharma Virat Kohli KL Rahul as wicketkeeper Shreyas Iyer as vice-captain Washington Sundar Ravindra Jadeja Mohammed Siraj Harshit Rana Prasidh Krishna Kuldeep Yadav Nitish Kumar Reddy Arshdeep Singh Yashasvi Jaiswal and Dhruv Jurel.
