IND vs NZ 2026: Rishabh Pant injured during batting session in Vadodara ahead of first ODI

Indian wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant was struck just above the waist by a delivery from a throwdown specialist during a lengthy batting session in Vadodara on Saturday. As per reports, the 28-year-old was attended to by support staff, including head coach Gautam Gambhir, and left the BCA B ground after receiving treatment, grimacing in pain.

According to the Indian Express, Pant had been working on his forward defence and attempting lap shots during the extended session. The left-hander last played

an ODI for India against Sri Lanka in July 2024. He was part of the squad that won the 2025 Champions Trophy but did not feature in any matches.

Pant recently led Delhi in the 2025-26 Vijay Hazare Trophy, scoring two half-centuries against Services and Railways. He had made his comeback after recovering from a toe fracture sustained during the fourth Test against England at Manchester, in the two-Test series against South Africa at home.

According to sources close to the team management, Pant has been mostly ruled out of the upcoming ODI series, which has a very short turnaround between the three matches. Since August 2024, Pant has not featured in an ODI for India, with KL Rahul taking over as the primary wicketkeeper-batter.

With Rahul also occupying the lower middle-order positions, Pant’s entry into the already crowded Indian batting order has proven difficult. Meanwhile, vice-captain Shreyas Iyer is set to make his comeback after fully recovering from a spleen injury sustained in Australia. An official update on Pant’s medical condition is expected within the next 24 hours, and Ishan Kishan could potentially be named as his replacement.

The three-match ODI series against a revamped New Zealand side will begin at the Baroda Cricket Association Stadium, hosting its first men’s international match. The second ODI will take place at Rajkot’s Niranjan Shah Stadium on January 14, and the third and final match will be held at Holkar Stadium in Indore on January 18. Following the ODIs, the focus will shift to a five-match T20I series, scheduled from January 21 to January 31.