Pant to undergo second fitness test before leaving for New Zealand

After failing to clear a fitness test on Sunday at the BCCI's Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru (CoE), Rishabh Pant has been given another chance to prove his fitness before he can board the flight to New Zealand. The first Test starts in Wellington on November 19.

Pant, who suffered a side strain during the Irani Cup in early October, has been at the CoE since October 23 and is understood to have started batting and keeping. The BCCI medical staff will likely arrange another test in the next two days to ascertain Pant's fitness before clearing him to travel to New Zealand. If cleared, Pant will join the India A squad for the third four-day match against New Zealand A, which starts in Lincoln on November 7, as prep for the Test series.

The selectors had included Pant in the India A squad as well as the squad for the two-Test series against New Zealand, but stated his availability was subject to fitness clearance. He was subsequently ruled out of the first two games between India A and New Zealand A.

The selectors had picked the uncapped Kumar Kushagra for the first two four-dayers against New Zealand A once Pant was ruled out of those games on October 12. Kushagra didn't play, though, with Dhruv Jurel, also the captain of the side, keeping wicket. Jurel is also part of the Test squad.

Jasprit Bumrah, meanwhile, is understood to have left for New Zealand on Sunday and is expected to play the third four-day match for India A. Bumrah, who has not played since the Asian Games final in early October, was at the CoE last week, going through the ready-for-play routine before flying out. Bumrah had been training - and bowling - in Ahmedabad, where he is based, before heading to the CoE.