India fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah is expected to turn out for India A in the third four-day match against New Zealand A, scheduled from November 7 to 10 at Lincoln.
Rishabh Pant could feature alongside him in that fixture, though his availability hinges on a fitness clearance from the BCCI medical staff.
As reported by Cricinfo, both Pant and Bumrah have been included in India's squad for the two-match Test series against New Zealand, with the first game in Wellington from November 19 to 23 and the second in Christchurch from November 27 to December 1. The pair are presently undergoing training at the BCCI's Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru. Pant arrived at the facility on Friday, while Bumrah checked in on Monday.
Why are Bumrah and Pant at the Centre of Excellence?
Bumrah's time at the Centre of Excellence is linked to the mandatory return-to-play protocol that the BCCI requires all players to complete before any series. Once those conditions are met, he is scheduled to fly to New Zealand on November 1. His last competitive appearance came at the Asian Games in Japan, where India claimed the gold medal in early October.
The selectors had rested him from the home white-ball assignments against West Indies and also stood him down for both the T20I and ODI legs of New Zealand's ongoing tour of India. In the meantime, Bumrah has been maintaining his fitness in Ahmedabad, where he is based.
Pant's circumstances are different. He sustained a side strain while captaining Rest of India against Jammu and Kashmir in the Irani Cup during the first week of October. That injury kept him out of Delhi's opening Ranji Trophy fixture and also ruled him out of the first two four-day matches against New Zealand A. At the Centre of Excellence, Pant has begun light work that includes batting drills, though he has not yet resumed wicketkeeping duties.
Who has stepped in for Pant against New Zealand A?
With Pant unavailable for the first two unofficial Tests against New Zealand A, the selectors turned to Jharkhand's Kumar Kushagra to fill the wicketkeeper-batter role. Kushagra's responsibilities have expanded rapidly, also being named last week as cover for Ishan Kishan in the ongoing T20I series after Kishan, who captains Jharkhand, suffered a right adductor strain. The back-to-back call-ups underline the confidence the selection panel has placed in Kushagra as a reliable reserve gloveman at this level.
