Less than a week before the first Test against South Africa, India were dealt a blow after wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant retired hurt in ongoing second four-day match between India A and South Africa A, in Bengaluru.
Pant was out of action with a foot injury he sustained during the England tour in July, and is set to make a comeback to international cricket with the two-Tests series starting on November 14.
Rishabh Pant retires hurt after taking three blows today. First on the helmet, second on the left-hand elbow, third on the abdomen. Tough day for the fighter. ❤️🩹 pic.twitter.com/kdTX8jdM8B
— Harsh 17 (@harsh03443) November 8, 2025
The 28-year-old came out to bat on day 3 in typical fashion, belting a couple of boundaries and a six. But, he was soon hit on the helmet by a sharp bouncer from Tshepo Moreki while trying to play a reverse-ramp. He continued after the mandatory concussion test, only to be hit on his left forearm trying to pull another short ball by Moreki. He looked in considerable pain, with the physio coming out to attend to him.
Moreki was at it again minutes later, hitting Pant’s abdomen with a sharp ball. A visibly shaken Pant soon retired hurt for 17.
It remains to be seen whether Pant was taken off as a precautionary measure or the injury is serious.
Pant had led India A to a win over South Africa A in first unofficial Test in Bengaluru, scoring 90 in the second innings in a chase of 275.
The first Test between India and South Africa will be played in Kolkata from November 14, followed by the second in Guwahati from November 22.
India's squad:
Shubman Gill (C), Rishabh Pant (WK) (VC), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Devdutt Padikkal, Dhruv Jurel, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Jasprit Bumrah, Axar Patel, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Mohammed Siraj, Kuldeep Yadav, and Akash Deep.
