Bengaluru (Karnataka):The Board for Control of Cricket in India (BCCI) on Friday said that India's wicket keeper-batter Rishabh Pant will not take the field on Day 3 of the ongoing first Test between India and New Zealand at M Chinnaswamy Stadium here.
"Rishabh Pant will not keep wickets on Day 3. The BCCI medical team is monitoring his progress," said the BCCI in their latest X post.
Pant was hit on his right knee which forced him off the field during the 37th over on day 2 while keeping the wickets. The ball delivered by Ravindra Jadeja turned, kept a little low and struck Pant on the leg where he had got the operation done after his mishap nearly a couple of years back.
After the day's play, Indian skipper Rohit Sharma had said that wicketkeeper-batter Pant was hit on his kneecap on the same leg for which he underwent surgery following his road accident and taking him off the field was a precautionary measure.
"Yeah, unfortunately, the ball hit straight on his kneecap. The same leg on which he has had surgery. So he has a little swelling on it," Rohit said during the post-day press conference.
"Muscles are tender at this point. So it is a precautionary measure. You know, he has undergone massive surgery on that particular leg. So that was the reason for him to go inside. Hopefully, he can recover," he added.
Coming to the match, India won the toss and chose to bat. However, under overcast, pace-friendly conditions, this decision backfired, and India was skittled out for just 46 runs. Rishabh Pant (20) and Yashasvi Jaiswal (13) were the only ones to touch the double-digit mark. Matt Henry (5/15) and William O'Rourke (4/22) were the top wicket-takers for NZ.
In the first innings, the Kiwis responded well, with Indian bowlers not getting much help from the surface under the sun. Opener Devon Conway (91 in 105 balls, with 11 fours and three sixes) had a fine 75-run partnership with Will Young (33 in 73 balls, with five fours). After spinners took a couple of wickets, Rachin Ravindra (22*) and Daryl Mitchell (14*) ended the innings at 180/3, with the team leading by 134 runs.
