Sun Jan 11 08:40:00 UTC 2026: # Rishabh Pant Injured, Ruled Out of ODI Series Against New Zealand; Dhruv Jurel Named Replacement
The Story:
Team India has suffered a significant setback ahead of the three-match ODI series against New Zealand, scheduled to begin on January 11. Wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant sustained an injury during net practice at the BCA Stadium in Vadodara on Saturday, January 10. Pant experienced severe pain in his right abdomen while batting and was immediately taken off the field. Subsequent MRI scans revealed a side strain (oblique muscle tear), ruling him out of the entire ODI series. The selection committee has named young wicketkeeper Dhruv Jurel as his replacement.
Key Points:
- Rishabh Pant suffered an injury during net practice on January 10.
- Pant has been diagnosed with a side strain (oblique muscle tear).
- He is ruled out of the ODI series against New Zealand.
- Dhruv Jurel has been named as Pant’s replacement.
- The ODI series begins on January 11 in Vadodara.
- Dhruv Jurel has played 9 Tests and 4 T20Is for India but has yet to make his ODI debut.
- The Indian team for the ODI series includes Shubman Gill (captain), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, Washington Sundar, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Siraj, Harshit Rana, Prasidh Krishna, Kuldeep Yadav, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Arshdeep Singh, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Dhruv Jurel.
Key Takeaways:
- Rishabh Pant’s injury is a blow to India’s batting lineup and wicket-keeping options for the ODI series.
- Dhruv Jurel gets a chance to prove himself in the ODI format.
- The injury highlights the physical demands on cricketers and the importance of backup players.
- The timing is particularly unfortunate as the series against New Zealand is a key preparation ahead of future tournaments.
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