Team India Test vice-captain Rishabh Pant made his return to competitive cricket in the ongoing India A's first unofficial Test of the two-match series against South Africa A at the BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE) Ground in Bengaluru on Thursday, October 30.

Pant was out of action for over three months due to a fractured foot sustained during the Old Trafford Test against England in Manchester. Due to injury, the 27-year-old was not only ruled out of the Oval decider but also the Asia Cup 2025, West Indies Test series, and the ongoing white-ball tour of Australia. Rishabh Pant underwent rehabilitation and recovery at BCCI CoE and received a fitness clearance certificate before being available for selection for the India A's unofficial Test series against South Africa A.

In the absence of Rishabh Pant, veteran all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja served as a deputy to skipper Shubman Gill in the Test series against West Indies.

Rishabh Pant's Challenging Recovery

Speaking on the sidelines of the ongoing India A's unofficial Test against South Africa A, Rishabh Pant reflected on his recovery from the fractured foot, stating it was 'challenging' for him, adding that the initial six weeks focused on healing before moving to the BCCI Centre of Excellence for rehabilitation.

“It was really challenging for me. I had that fracture in England and had to go through the whole process. The first part of the process was healing. For the first six weeks, you have to heal the fracture, and then you come to the CoE. The healing went well." Pant said in a video posted by BCCI.

“I started my rehab slowly. Went through a bit of physio work in the initial days. Then slowly moved towards working on my strength, and from there started the second phase. Right now I am here with you, fully recovered, thanks to CoE for that," he added.

Following his injury in the England series, Rishabh Pant underwent an intensive rehabilitation program at the BCCI Centre of Excellence The focus extended beyond physical recovery, with equal emphasis on mental conditioning and match readiness the support of the CoE... twitter/8qB1SKjiNp

- BCCI (@BCCI) October 31, 2025

Rishabh Pant had a great England Test tour, amassing 479 runs, including two centuries and three fifties, at an average of 68.42 in seven innings. However, the fractured foot abruptly ended his remarkable run, sidelining him at a time when he was in peak form, and forcing him to focus completely on recovery and regaining match fitness before returning to competitive cricket for the India A series.

'Being positive is really a mindset thing'

Further speaking about his recovery, Rishabh Pant stated that staying positive during tough times was crucial, as injuries can often lead to frustration and self-doubt.

“Being positive is really a mindset thing. During injury, you tend to get demotivated. The energy levels are not great, you are frustrated,” India Test vice-captain said.

“But if you can do small things that make you feel good, you have to do that also. Especially when you are injured." he added.

Meanwhile, India A did not have an ideal start to the first unofficial Test against South Africa, as the Proteas posted 309 in the first innings before the hosts were bowled out for 234, with Rishabh Pant scoring 17 and trailing by 75 runs. In the second innings, India A bundled out South Africa A for 199 and were set a target of 275 runs to chase on the penultimate day of the match in Bengaluru.

India A's unofficial Tests against South Africa A are part of the preparation for the upcoming Test series against South Africa, starting on November 14.

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