Pant To Lead India 'A' In Four-day Matches Against South Africa 'Aquot;

BCCI Selection Committee: Rishabh Pant is set to return to competitive cricket after a long injury layoff, as the BCCI Selection Committee has named the wicketkeeper-batter captain of the India A squad for the two four-day matches against South Africa.

The two four-day games will be played from October 30 to November 9 at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru.

Pant fractured the metatarsal in his right foot during the fourth Test against England in Manchester in late July, after inside-edging a reverse sweep off Chris Woakes. He was forced to retire hurt on 37, with scans later confirming a fracture.

Since then, the lengthy recovery period caused Pant to miss Asia Cup, two-match Test series against the West Indies, which concluded earlier this month in India, as well as the ongoing white-ball tour of Australia down under.

Pant, who was sidelined for three months with a fractured foot, was expected to make his return to competitive cricket for Delhi in the 2025/26 Ranji Trophy after he began his batting sessions in the CoE nets earlier this month. But there was no mention of the wicketkeeper-batter in Ayush Badoni-led Delhi squad, as he was completing his rehab at the BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru.

Pant, India’s vice-captain in Tests, scored 479 runs in seven innings at a remarkable average of 68.42 during the tour of England, including two brilliant centuries in the series opener at Headingley, Leeds.

Pant, who was sidelined for three months with a fractured foot, was expected to make his return to competitive cricket for Delhi in the 2025/26 Ranji Trophy after he began his batting sessions in the CoE nets earlier this month. But there was no mention of the wicketkeeper-batter in Ayush Badoni-led Delhi squad, as he was completing his rehab at the BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru.