Jasprit Bumrah and Rishabh Pant to return? Could they play third unofficial Test against New Zealand A

New Delhi: Fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah and wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant are expected to make their comeback in the third match of the unofficial Test series between India A and New Zealand A, scheduled from November 7 to 10 in Lincoln.

It is likely that Rishabh Pant will join the India A team alongside Bumrah for the same match, provided Pant receives fitness clearance from the BCCI medical staff. Both Pant and Bumrah are included in India's squad for the two-match Test series against New Zealand, which will be played in Wellington (November 19-23) and Christchurch (November 27-December 1).

Bumrah and Pant are in the Center of Excellence

Both Bumrah and Pant are currently training at the BCCI's Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru. While Pant arrived at the CoE on Friday, Bumrah arrived on Monday. Bumrah's CoE visit is meant to complete the 'return-to-play' process for all players before any series, after which he will fly to New Zealand on November 1.

Bumrah last played during the Asian Games in Japan, where India won the gold medal in early October. Although the selectors rested him from the white-ball series against the West Indies at home and the T20 and ODI matches of the ongoing New Zealand tour, Bumrah is believed to be training in Ahmedabad, where he lives.

Pant has started batting practice, waiting for wicketkeeping

Pant is recovering from a side strain he sustained during the Irani Cup, where he led Rest of India to victory against Jammu and Kashmir in the first week of October. This injury ruled him out of playing for Delhi in the first round of the Ranji Trophy, as well as the first two unofficial Test matches against New Zealand A. It is reported that Pant has begun light training at the COE, including batting practice. 

However, he has not yet resumed wicketkeeping. The selectors have selected Jharkhand's Kumar Kushagra as Pant's replacement for the first two four-day matches against New Zealand A. Kushagra was also included as a backup for Ishan Kishan in the ongoing T20 series last week after his Jharkhand captain Kishan suffered a right thigh muscle strain.