Kumar Kushagra, 21, replaces injured Rishabh Pant for India A's New Zealand tour
Representative image: yogendras31 / Pixabay
The BCCI on October 12, 2026 named 21-year-old Jharkhand keeper Kumar Kushagra in India A's squad for New Zealand after Rishabh Pant was ruled out of two matches with a side strain.
What Happened
Rishabh Pant has been ruled out of the first two of India A's three four-day matches in New Zealand because of a left side strain, and 21-year-old wicketkeeper-batter Kumar Kushagra of Jharkhand has been called up in his place, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced on Monday, October 12, 2026. Pant picked up the injury while captaining Rest of India in the Irani Cup. The BCCI said a decision on whether he can play the third match, which starts on November 7, will be taken later.
Key Facts
- Pant has a left side strain sustained during the Irani Cup, where he led Rest of India.
- He will miss the first two unofficial Tests (four-day matches) against New Zealand A.
- Kumar Kushagra, a 21-year-old wicketkeeper from Jharkhand who plays for Gujarat Titans in the IPL, replaces him for those two matches.
- Pant is recovering under the care of the BCCI's medical team.
- India A's three-match series in New Zealand runs from October 24 to November 10, with games in Lincoln and Christchurch.
- The third and final match starts on November 7; Pant's place in it will be decided later.
Why It Matters
For Kushagra, this is a real opening. India A tours are where selectors watch the next layer of Test cricketers against good opposition in unfamiliar conditions. New Zealand's pitches, with more grass, bounce and lateral movement than most Indian surfaces, test a keeper's footwork and a batter's technique outside off stump. A sound performance behind the stumps and a couple of useful innings there carry more weight than runs at home.
Kushagra plays his domestic cricket for Jharkhand and his IPL cricket for Gujarat Titans. Being drafted in as the replacement for a player of Pant's standing tells you he is already on the selectors' list of keeper options. For young players following his path, it shows how an A-team call-up often comes: not with an announcement months ahead, but at short notice when someone senior is injured, which is why staying match-fit and ready matters.
For Pant, the priority is recovery. Side strains are common among fast-moving keepers and batters and can recur if players return too early, which explains the cautious wording about the third match. India's selectors will want him fully fit for the senior season ahead rather than rushed back for an A fixture.
| Match | Pant's status | Keeper named |
|---|---|---|
| First four-day game vs New Zealand A | Ruled out | Kumar Kushagra |
| Second four-day game vs New Zealand A | Ruled out | Kumar Kushagra |
| Third game, from November 7 | To be decided | Pending BCCI decision |
Impact
Short-term: Kushagra travels with India A and is likely to keep wicket in at least one of the opening matches, depending on the team's final combination.
Long-term: Strong performances in New Zealand could move Kushagra up the queue of wicketkeepers for future India A and senior selections, while a careful recovery protects Pant for bigger fixtures.
Who is affected: Kumar Kushagra and the other keepers competing for places, Rishabh Pant, the India A team management and selectors, and fans of Jharkhand cricket and Gujarat Titans.
Key Takeaway
An injury to Rishabh Pant has handed 21-year-old Kumar Kushagra a chance to prove himself as a keeper-batter on an India A tour of New Zealand.
Questions and Answers
Why is Rishabh Pant missing India A's matches in New Zealand?
He has a left side strain that he picked up while leading Rest of India in the Irani Cup, and the BCCI has ruled him out of the first two of the three four-day games.
Who is Kumar Kushagra?
He is a 21-year-old wicketkeeper-batter from Jharkhand who plays for Gujarat Titans in the IPL. The BCCI named him as Pant's replacement on October 12, 2026.
When and where is India A's New Zealand tour?
India A play three four-day matches against New Zealand A between October 24 and November 10, 2026, in Lincoln and Christchurch.
Will Pant play any part in the series?
Possibly. The BCCI said it will decide later whether he is fit for the third match, which starts on November 7.
Disclaimer: Prepared by the Peepals newsroom from publicly available sources with AI assistance. Information is accurate to the best of our knowledge at the time of publication and may change. Images may be representative. Not professional advice. Report an error via our contact page.
Sourced and fact-checked by the Peepals Global Editorial Team
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