Rishabh Pant Ruled Out of New Zealand ODI Series Due to Injury; Dhruv Jurel Named Replacement

India wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant has been ruled out of the upcoming three-match ODI series against New Zealand, which begins on Sunday, January 11, after suffering an injury during a practice session. The 28-year-old sustained the setback on the eve of the series when he was struck just above the waist while batting against throwdown specialists.

Pant was seen grimacing in pain immediately after the impact and was attended to by the Indian team’s support staff, along with head coach Gautam Gambhir and teammates. Subsequent medical assessment revealed the injury to be serious enough to sideline him for the entire series. Pant has since left the Indian team camp.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Sunday confirmed that Dhruv Jurel has been named as Pant’s replacement in the squad.

“Wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant felt a sudden onset of discomfort in his right lateral abdominal area while batting in the nets during India’s practice session on Saturday afternoon at the BCA Stadium, Vadodara,” the BCCI said in an official statement.

“He was taken for MRI scans immediately, and the BCCI medical team had a detailed discussion with an expert on his clinical and radiological findings. Pant has been diagnosed with a side strain (oblique muscle tear) and is subsequently ruled out of the ODI series,” the statement added.

Jurel Earns Call-Up

Dhruv Jurel’s inclusion comes on the back of impressive domestic form. The wicketkeeper-batter was Uttar Pradesh’s top scorer in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, amassing 558 runs in seven matches, including two centuries, at an average of over 90.

Pant’s Injury Woes Continue

Pant’s career has been repeatedly interrupted by injuries in recent years. In 2022, his progress was halted by a horrific car accident that kept him out of international cricket and the Indian Premier League for an extended period.

He suffered another setback last year after being hit on the toe while attempting a reverse sweep off Chris Woakes, which ruled him out of the fifth and final Test against England as well as the subsequent Test series against the West Indies.

Picked Despite Speculation

Ahead of the squad announcement for the New Zealand ODIs, several reports suggested that Pant might be dropped from the side. Contrary to those expectations, selectors retained him in the squad, marking a potential return to ODI cricket after a long gap.

Pant last played an ODI in August 2024 against Sri Lanka. In 31 ODIs, he has scored 871 runs at an average of 33.50 and a strike rate of 106.21, with one century to his name—scored against England in the UK.

India’s Updated Squad for New Zealand ODIs

Shubman Gill (captain), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul (wicketkeeper), Shreyas Iyer (vice-captain), Washington Sundar, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Siraj, Harshit Rana, Prasidh Krishna, Kuldeep Yadav, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Arshdeep Singh, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel.

Pant’s absence is another blow to India’s plans ahead of the series, with team management now relying on KL Rahul and the newly inducted Jurel to handle wicketkeeping duties.