Rishabh Pant Walks off After Being Hit During India Net Session Before 1st ODI vs New Zealand
Wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant received a blow while batting during the India net session on Saturday in Vadodara, and walked off gingerly. The incident occurred just a few hours before the IND vs NZ first ODI, scheduled for Sunday, raising questions about his availability for the series opener.
Rishabh Pant Net Blow Sparks IND vs NZ 1st ODI Availability Concerns
The first ODI of the three-match series is scheduled to be played on Sunday, January 11, at the BCA stadium. Rishabh Pant, whose place in the India ODI squad was under scrutiny before the New Zealand series, took a blow during India batting net session on Saturday. The issue looked severe as the batter soon walked off the field and was visibly in pain.
Rishabh Pant’s last ODI appearance was in August 2024 against Sri Lanka, and he has been regularly travelling with the team as a backup stumper. However, he has not played a single game since then, including the Champions Trophy 2025, which India won by defeating New Zealand.
With vice-captain Shreyas Iyer out due to injury, the team management had an opportunity to give him game time in the recent series against South Africa at home. But they tried Ruturaj Gaikwad at No. 4 and scored a century in the second ODI while Pant warmed the bench for the entire series. In the final ODI against South Africa, they played left-hander Tilak Varma but didn’t pick Pant in the playing XI.
However, despite all this, Rishabh Pant retained his place in the India ODI squad, thanks to his performance in the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-26. Batting at No. 5, the southpaw scored 212 runs in six innings at an average of 42.40 with a strike rate of 112.76, including two half-centuries.
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How Left-Handed Rishabh Pant Fits Right-Handers Heavy India ODI Top Order
Since the ODI World Cup 2023, India have largely maintained their batting lineup, making changes when any injury occurs. Their current settled top-order consists of six right-handed batters. The inclusion of Pant, a left-hander, would help India to break that pattern, potentially stepping in at number 5, a role similar to what Axar Patel played during the Champions Trophy 2025 and in the Australia ODI series.
With Axar Patel dropped for sharing a similar skillset with Ravindra Jadeja, India have preferred Washington Sundar in the playing XI, who hasn’t added much value across both batting and bowling departments in the last series. Sundar scored one run off eight balls in the first ODI and 19-ball 13 in the second, batting at No. 6 and 5, respectively.
Rishabh Pant’s wicketkeeping and middle-order batting could help balance the team, though it may come at the cost of a sixth bowling option. However, this injury during the next session might lead team management to be careful with limited games to be played before the ICC ODI World Cup 2027.
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