Wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant has been declared fully fit by the BCCI medical staff and has departed for New Zealand to link up with India’s Test squad in Wellington ahead of the two-match series. Fitness Clearance: Named in the Test squad last month subject to fitness, Pant completed rehabilitation at the BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE) following a side strain sustained during the Irani Cup in Srinagar. He cleared two days of intensive match-simulation tests on November 10 and 11 before receiving the final green light on Thursday, November 12. Lack of Match Practice: Because his recovery took longer than initially anticipated, Pant missed all three India A warm-up fixtures in Lincoln. He arrives in Wellington with limited time to acclimatise to New Zealand conditions before the series opener. Selection Dilemma: Pant’s availability creates a welcome selection headache for captain Shubman Gill and head coach Gautam Gambhir. In Pant's absence, India A skipper Dhruv Jurel pressed his case with a century and a half-century across four innings against New Zealand A, while top-order batters Devdutt Padikkal (199 and 80) and Sai Sudharsan (91 and 88) also posted strong returns. WTC Stakes & Series Schedule: Sitting fourth in the World Test Championship (WTC) standings behind New Zealand, South Africa, and Australia, India need positive results to stay in contention for the June 2027 final. Gill, KL Rahul, and Anshul Kamboj have already been released from the ongoing ODI series to begin red-ball preparations in Wellington.