Rishabh Pant Gets Hit In Training Ahead Of 1st India vs NZ ODI, Gautam Gambhir Rushes In With Star In Pain

Daily Update, Sports

Rishabh Pant briefly needed treatment after hitting during net practice as India put the final touches to their preparations for the three-ODI series against New Zealand

Former India skipper Rohit Sharma offered batting tips to Mohammed Siraj, while Rishabh Pant briefly needed treatment after hitting during net practice as India put the final touches to their preparations for the three-ODI series against New Zealand starting in Vadodara on Sunday. Rohit was waiting outside the net when Siraj, who was in early, could not connect while trying to hoick the ball. The India opener then gave some advice to the pacer, who only had a batting stint in the nets during India’s optional training session in Vadodara on Saturday, with other members also turning up for the session.

1st India vs NZ ODI

Rishabh Pant Gets Hit in Training Ahead Of 1st India vs NZ ODI, Gautam Gambhir Rushes In With Star In Pain

Former India skipper Rohit Sharma offered batting tips to Mohammed Siraj, while Rishabh Pant briefly needed treatment after hitting during net practice as India put the final touches to their preparations for the three-ODI series against New Zealand starting in Vadodara on Sunday. Rohit was waiting outside the net when Siraj, who was in early, could not connect while trying to hoick the ball. The India opener then gave some advice to the pacer, who only had a batting stint in the nets during India’s optional training session in Vadodara on Saturday, with other members also turning up for the session.

Each of the three – Siraj, Iyer, and Pant – were busy playing for their respective state teams in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, with the matches on January 8 being their most recent appearance.

Pant, however, was left grimacing in pain when he copped a blow just above his waist while batting against Indian throwdown specialists and was attended to by the team’s support staff and other members, including head coach Gautam Gambhir.

After receiving some initial treatment, Pant walked off the pitch of the BCA Stadium’s Ground B, where India captain Shubman Gill was seen having a long chat with the chairman of selectors, Ajit Agarkar.

The three-ODI series against a new-look New Zealand team will get underway here, with the Baroda Cricket Association Stadium set to host their first men’s international match.

The second ODI will be played at Rajkot’s Niranjan Shah Stadium on January 14, whilst the third and final will be at the Holkar Stadium in Indore

Under the mellow winter sun, a day before their first match of 2026 againstNew Zealand at the new BCA Stadium, six members of India’s squad sweated out in an optional training session at the ‘B’ ground, behind the main venue. There was little urgency or spectacle, but clear intent, as the session unfolded as an exercise in fine-tuning roles rather than advertising form.

KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant started in adjacent nets, an arrangement that itself reflected contrasting priorities. Rahul’s stint was briefed before Shreyas Iyer, who will be playing his first game for India since October, stepped in. The patterns that followed offered clearer cues.

Iyer’s low backlift

Iyer’s stint was the most sustained of the afternoon. After Rahul stepped out, the ODI vice-captain settled in for a long hit, starting against pace before taking on spin. The work was measured and controlled. He batted with a lower, more horizontal backlift, keeping his hands close to the body and prioritizing placement over power.

Even as he grew more assertive against the spinners, the emphasis continued on playing along the ground, suggesting an emphasis on reliability rather than range. It was the work of a batter seeking to regain the trust: of the team management, conditions, and perhaps himself.

Rishabh Pant’s session unfolded on a different trajectory. I have opted largely for throw-downs, committing to volume and repetition. There were moments of discomfort against the rising ball, but the fuller delivered allowed him to settle and trust his timing. The theme was unmistakable: defense first.

Pant spent prolonged periods playing late and straight, with the occasional lap shot, a reminder of instinct rather than intent. He wrapped up his first stint at 2:30 pm.

The left-hander returned to the nets after a five-minute break, resuming his defensive drills with similar intent. There was no visible shift in tempo or ambition, reinforcing the sense that the session was about sharpifying fundamentals rather than expanding options. The flair was not absent, but carefully proportioned, as if temporarily shelved while more pressing technical priorities were addressed.

Rahul trained in the nets alongside Pant before alternating with Iyer.

His session was measured and rotational rather than prolonged, with no visible experimentation. Rahul’s work appeared routine and functional, slotting into the broad pattern of role-specific preparation rather than individual statement-making.

The pattern that followed was revealing. Rahul and Iyer shared one set of nets, taking turns, while Rishabh Pant’ alternated with Ravindra Jadeja in the other, hinting at role-specific preparation rather than random rotations, with batters matched according to the demands they are likely to face in the middle overs.

Skipper Shubman Gill, who will play his first match for India since getting excluded from the T20 World Cup squad, arrived at 2:20 pm and started batting 10 minutes later, alternating with Rohit Sharma in short, clearly defined bursts. Unlike Iyer’s extended stint earlier in the session, Gill’s time in the nets was measured and rotational.

He seemed comfortable throughout, batting more against spin and moving fluidly across the crease. The brevity of his spells suggested maintenance rather than correction – a batter reinforcing rate rather than searching for solutions.