In exciting news for Indian cricket fans, star wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant is set to make a highly anticipated return to competitive cricket as he has been named captain of the India A squad. He will lead the team in two four-day matches against South Africa A, marking a crucial step in his journey back after a serious toe injury.
Pant sustained this injury during India’s Test series against England, specifically on the opening day of the Manchester Test when a fierce yorker from Chris Woakes unfortunately struck his toe. This injury forced him out of the final match of that series, which ultimately concluded in a 2-2 draw. His recovery period also saw him miss subsequent home Tests against the West Indies and the ongoing limited-overs series in Australia. (Image: Rishabh Pant during the Test series vs England)
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) medical team has closely supervised Pant’s structured fitness and rehabilitation program. Receiving their clearance is a significant milestone, paving the way for his return to elite-level cricket.
Initially, Pant was included in the Delhi Ranji Trophy squad for a match against Himachal Pradesh scheduled for October 25 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. However, with the first unofficial Test against South Africa A kicking off just five days later, on October 30, it’s expected he will miss the domestic Ranji fixture to focus on his national ‘A’ team commitments.
The two four-day matches against South Africa A are scheduled for October 30 and November 6, both to be played at the BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru.
Joining Pant in the India A squad are several promising talents. For the first four-day match, the squad includes: Rishabh Pant (Captain & Wicketkeeper), Ayush Mhatre, N Jagdeesan (Wicketkeeper), Sai Sudharsan (Vice-Captain), Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar, Harsh Dubey, Tanush Kotian, Manav Suthar, Anshul Kamboj, Yash Thakur, Ayush Badoni, and Saransh Jain.
The squad for the second four-day match features a slightly different lineup, with some additional established names: Rishabh Pant (Captain & Wicketkeeper), KL Rahul, Dhruv Jurel (Wicketkeeper), Sai Sudharsan (Vice-Captain), Devdutt Padikkal, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Harsh Dubey, Tanush Kotian, Manav Suthar, Khaleel Ahmed, Gurnoor Brar, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Prasidh Krishna, Mohammed Siraj, and Akash Deep.