India pacer Jasprit Bumrah and wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant are reportedly set to return to red-ball cricket in the third and final unofficial Test between India A and New Zealand A. The match is scheduled to begin on November 7 at Bert Sutcliffe Oval in Lincoln. However, according to ESPNcricinfo, Pant must receive final fitness clearance from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) medical team before returning to action.

Both players are currently at the Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru, with Bumrah arriving on Monday and Pant on Friday. Bumrah missed India’s previous series against Sri Lanka due to an impact injury but has since featured in white-ball cricket. His workload continues to be carefully managed, and his latest stint at the CoE is reportedly part of the standard return-to-play process ahead of the New Zealand tour.

ALSO READ: Steve Smith Doubtful for Australia’s Final Test Against South Africa

Pant, meanwhile, is recovering from a side strain sustained during the Irani Cup in early October, where he captained Rest of India to victory against Jammu and Kashmir. The injury forced him to miss the opening rounds of the Ranji Trophy and India’s first two unofficial Tests against New Zealand A.

Jasprit Bumrah and Rishabh Pant are both expected to feature in the third unofficial Test between New Zealand A and India A from November 7-10.

Bumrah last played in the Asian Games final on October 3, while Pant is recovering from a side strain he suffered during the Irani Cup

More details: https://t.co/LoPHFJRQCo

— Cricinfo (@cricinfo) October 26, 2026

Both players are part of India’s Test squad for the upcoming series against New Zealand. Their fitness and availability will be important for India’s preparations, with Bumrah leading the pace attack and Pant providing a key option behind the stumps and in the batting order.

ALSO READ: Gareth Batty Set To Join CSK Coaching Staff Ahead Of IPL Season

India’s Test squad for New Zealand: Shubman Gill [C], Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul [VC], Devdutt Padikkal, Rishabh Pant [WK]*, Dhruv Jurel [WK], Ravindra Jadeja, Anshul Kamboj, Jasprit Bumrah, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Sai Sudharsan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj