In a major setback for Team India ahead of the first ODI against New Zealand, star wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant has been ruled out of the three-match series, which is set to begin on January 11, 2026, in Vadodara.
Rishabh suffered a serious injury after being hit by a delivery during practice session in Vadodara on Saturday. The injury has ruled Pant out of the entire three match series, which is a significant setback for India, especially as he was expected to serve as the backup wicketkeeper-batter behind KL Rahul and bring his explosive batting to the middle order.
According to an IANS report, Pant looked organised in his batting session going for almost 50 minutes at India’s optional practice session at the BCA B ground. But, he experienced discomfort after being hit above the waist while facing a delivery from a throwdown specialist.
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The 28-year-old Pant immediately fell to his knees due to the immense pain and was quickly attended to by the support staff members and left the nets.
“Scans and assessment by the team doctor showed that Rishabh copped a blow on the ribcage on the right side and a side strain has been detected, thus ruling him out of this ODI series against New Zealand,” said sources familiar with the matter to IANS on Saturday.
Pant is now likely to take a few days off before heading to the BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru for further evaluation and rehabilitation.
Rishabh Pant’s Performance In 2025-26 Vijay Hazare Trophy
Notably, Pant had come into the ODI series on the back of leading Delhi in the 2025/26 Vijay Hazare Trophy (VHT) league stage in Bengaluru.
He made two half-centuries against Services and Railways respectively, as Delhi entered the knockouts.
Rishabh Pant’s Battle With Injury
Notably, this is the second time Pant has been sidelined by injury, having earlier fractured his right foot during the fourth Test against England in Manchester, before making his return in the two-match home Test series against South Africa in November last year.
Pant has been a regular in India’s ODI plans over the past two years, though his last appearance in the format came during the Sri Lanka tour in August 2024.
Ahead of the New Zealand ODIs, there was widespread speculation about his omission, but the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee kept faith in him.
Who Will Replace Rishabh Pant In India Squad?
Pant was the second wicketkeeper in the ODI squad, behind KL Rahul, so there is no immediate need for another stumper for Sunday’s match against New Zealand.
However, the Indian team management will now need to identify a replacement for Pant for the next two matches. Dhruv Jurel and T20 World Cup-bound Ishan Kishan are the likely options as Pant’s replacement due to good showings in the Vijay Hazare Trophy.
