Kumar Kushagra has two hundreds in his last three first-class games, and he replaces Pant for India A’s first two matches in New Zealand
Rishabh Pant has not shaken off the side strain from the Irani Cup, so the Jharkhand keeper-batter joins Dhruv Jurel’s squad for the four-day games in Lincoln and Christchurch.
Oct 13, 2026
Rishabh Pant will miss the first two of India A’s three four-day games in New Zealand. The BCCI confirmed on Monday that he has not recovered from a left-side strain picked up while captaining Rest of India in the Irani Cup, and Jharkhand wicketkeeper-batter Kumar Kushagra replaces him for those two matches.
Pant had been named in the squad on 6 October subject to fitness. The board said he remains under the care of its medical team, and a call on his availability for the third game will come later.
Jurel keeps the gloves as well as the captaincy
Dhruv Jurel was already in charge of the side, and he now keeps wicket in the first two games too. Kushagra comes in as the second keeper. With Jurel behind the stumps, his way into the XI is as a batter, and he has the runs to argue for it.
The 21-year-old has two hundreds in his last three first-class matches. The first was 101 off 132 balls for East Zone in the Duleep Trophy final in Chennai in September. Ishan Kishan made 270 at the other end, East Zone piled up 708, and the drawn final went their way on first-innings lead.
The second came against Australia A in Puducherry later that month. Kushagra retired hurt with cramp on 82 in the heat on the first day, came back on the second day and finished with 113 off 240 balls. India A made 334, bowled Australia A out for 171 and won the four-day game by 162 runs. He was named player of the match.
A quiet Irani Cup for Pant
The Irani Cup in Srinagar, played from 1 to 4 October, went well for Rest of India and less so for their captain. They beat Ranji champions Jammu and Kashmir by 167 runs, with Mukesh Kumar taking six for 33 on the final day as the hosts were bowled out for 111 chasing 279. Ravichandran Smaran made 68 and 135 and was player of the match.
Pant made 10 off 36 balls in the first innings and was unwell for the later part of the match. Smaran and Mukesh Kumar are both in this India A squad as well.
The schedule in New Zealand
The first game starts in Lincoln on 24 October, the second in Christchurch on 31 October, and the third back in Lincoln on 7 November. The senior side’s five-match T20I series against New Zealand starts at Hagley Oval in Christchurch on 22 October, so both squads will be in the same part of the country for the opening week.
The A games are red-ball practice ahead of the two Tests later on this tour, so a return for the third match would still give Pant one four-day outing in New Zealand conditions before then. Kushagra gets two games in the same conditions first, and with two hundreds in his last three first-class games, he is not going just to carry the gloves.
India A squad for the first two games: Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Devdutt Padikkal, Ravichandran Smaran, Dhruv Jurel (captain, wicketkeeper), Kumar Kushagra (wicketkeeper), Washington Sundar, Auqib Nabi, Akash Deep, Anshul Kamboj, Manav Suthar, Mukesh Choudhary, Sai Sudharsan, Yash Rathod, Mukesh Kumar.