Rishabh Pant will undergo another fitness assessment in the coming days before the BCCI's medical team clears him to travel to New Zealand to join the India squad for the two-Test series starting on November 19 in Wellington.
Cricinfo has learned that Pant, who suffered a side strain during the Irani Cup in early October, had an initial assessment at the BCCI's Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru over the weekend. The BCCI medical team, though, wanted to monitor Pant for more time before signing off on his return-to-play clearance. If cleared, Pant, who has been at CoE since October 23, will travel for the third four-day match between New Zealand A and India A, which starts in Lincoln on November 7, as prep for the Test series.
The selectors had included Pant in the India A squad as well as the squad for the two-Test series against New Zealand, but stated his availability was subject to fitness clearance. He was subsequently ruled out of the first two games between India A and New Zealand A.
The selectors had picked the uncapped Kumar Kushagra for the first two four-dayers against New Zealand A once Pant was ruled out of those games on October 12. Kushagra didn't play, though, with Dhruv Jurel, also the captain of the side, keeping wicket. Jurel is also part of the Test squad.
Jasprit Bumrah, meanwhile, is understood to have left for New Zealand on Sunday and is expected to play the third four-day match for India A. Bumrah, who has not played since the Asian Games final in early October, was at the CoE last week, going through the ready-for-play routine before flying out. Bumrah had been training - and bowling - in Ahmedabad, where he is based, before heading to the CoE.