Rishabh Pant ruled out of New Zealand ODIs

After suffering a side strain during India's practice session in Vadodara on Saturday, wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant was ruled out of the upcoming ODI series against New Zealand. Pant's struggles with injuries continue. While batting in the nets at the BCA Stadium, Pant experienced a sudden onset of discomfort in his right lateral abdominal area, according to a BCCI release. He was immediately taken for MRI scans, and the BCCI Medical Team, in conjunction with an expert, determined that he had an oblique muscle tear. The Men's Selection Committee has chosen Dhruv Jurel to replace Pant, who was the second-choice wicketkeeper in the ODI squad behind KL Rahul. Pant's absence does not result in an immediate selection crisis for the series opener, however. Jurel has already made a connection with the Indian team. The Indian team could choose to practice on Saturday, but Pant chose to play batting at the nets when the injury happened. Shreyas Iyer, Mohammed Siraj, Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Ravindra Jadeja, and skipper Shubman Gill were among the senior players who attended the session after addressing the pre-series media conference. Pant's most recent setback joins a growing number of injuries that have prevented him from playing. A serious car accident in December 2022 had a significant impact on his career, keeping him out of international cricket and the Indian Premier League for a considerable amount of time. He suffered a finger injury in England last summer, followed by a right foot fracture that prevented him from participating in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy.