Pant and Gill Likely to Return for Pune Test Against New Zealand

As India prepares for the second Test against New Zealand in Pune, the team is optimistic about the return of key players Rishabh Pant and Shubman Gill. Pant, who suffered a knee injury during the first Test, is reportedly recovering well, while Gill, sidelined due to neck stiffness, is also expected to be fit for selection. Their potential return could significantly bolster India’s chances of leveling the series after a disappointing performance in the opener.

Rishabh Pant and Shubman Gill Recovery: A Positive Outlook

According to Ryan ten Doeschate, India‘s assistant coach, Rishabh Pant, and Shubman Gill are both expected to be available for the second Test match against New Zealand. As they look to recover from the loss in the series opener in Bengaluru, India is also confident that Pant will play as a wicketkeeper again.

When Pant was trying to stump Devon Conway in the 37th over of New Zealand’s batting on the second day of the Test, he injured his knee. He took a hit after failing to catch the ball. He immediately left the field after flinching in agony. Pant gave the gloves to Dhruv Jurel, who maintained them for the remainder of the first innings and the final 27.4 overs of the second innings for New Zealand.

Due to a stiff neck, Gill was unable to attend the Bengaluru Test. “Rishabh’s pretty good,” Ten Doeschate said. “I think Rohit [Sharma] touched on it the other day. He was having a little bit of discomfort at the end range of his movement with the knee. But fingers crossed he’ll be good to keep in this Test as well. “He batted last week in Bangalore, he had a few nets,” ten Doeschate said of Gill. “He’s got a little bit of discomfort, but I’ll think he will be good to go for the Test.”

Given that Pant suffered severe knee injuries in a car accident in December 2022, the team will naturally be cautious about taking chances with his knee. Despite smashing 99 from 105 balls in India’s second innings in Bengaluru, he appeared uncomfortable as he ran between the wickets. Captain Rohit had demanded an “extra careful” approach to Pant’s injuries after India had lost that Test.

Pant watched from the sidelines as Jurel underwent keeping drills for the first time during India’s first practice session in Pune on Tuesday.

Tactical Implications of Their Returns

Then, against the spinners and net bowlers of India, Pant batted fiercely in the nets. At the end of India’s training session, Pant also took wickets. Additionally, Ten Doeschate explained that R Ashwin, who only bowled two overs during New Zealand’s first-Test chase of 107, is not injured. 

India isn’t making too much of the fact that Ashwin gave up 94 runs in 16 overs for just one wicket in New Zealand’s opening innings as Tim Southee and Rachin Ravindra attacked him. “Ashwin’s fine. He’s absolutely fine,”Ten Doeschate said. “He bowled nicely. I know he bowled only two overs in the second innings, but it looked like his pace and his rhythm were back to where it needs to be.”

India has bolstered their spin stocks by bringing in off-spin bowling all-rounder Washington Sundar as their fourth spin-bowling option, behind Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, and Axar Patel, in anticipation of Pune introducing a low-bounce black-soil track that may help turn. Ten Doeschate denied rumors that in “desperate measures” following India’s upheaval in Bengaluru, Washington had been recruited to the team.

Doeschate statement about players

“Did you say desperate measures? No, definitely not,” ten Doeschate said. “Look, we’ve obviously got Axar in the squad as well, and with four left-handers in their XI, we want the option to take the ball away from the left-handers as well.” If New Zealand choose to bolster their own spin attack by summoning up Mitchell Santner, that number might rise to five. Although Washington hasn’t represented India in Test cricket since March 2021, his recent red-ball performance is promising. 

Washington struck 152 from No. 3 in the second round of the ongoing Ranji Trophy, and then, on a rather flat Delhi pitch, he took six wickets for Tamil Nadu. At Arun Jaitley Stadium, there wasn’t much turn available, but Washington held the ball tight and even managed to challenge the right-hand hitters’ outside edge with some drift.

“We’ve had Washy around the white-ball squad for a while and [we] like the way he operates,” ten Doeschate said. “And it’s also nice to see guys are getting rewarded for Ranji Trophy performances as well. So hopefully that sends a good message out to the other guys and it’s certainly not a desperate measure. We’ve certainly got a lot of faith in the spinners that we have, and we just want to make sure we’re absolutely prepared for the conditions and if that does mean taking the ball away from the left-hander, we want that option.”

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