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Rishabh Pant goes past Virat Kohli in ICC batting rankings after IND vs NZ 1st Test 2024

Team India keeper-batter Rishabh Pant overtook fellow countryman Virat Kohli in the latest ICC Test batting rankings. The left-hander held the ninth spot before the first Test against New Zealand in Bengaluru but has surged three places to sixth.

Playing his third Test since making his international return, Pant scored 20 in the first innings against the Kiwis in Bengaluru.

The youngster missed a century, falling for 99 to Will O'Rourke. It proved to be the seventh occasion in Test cricket that he fell in the 90s. With 745 rating points, Pant is sixth while Kohli is eighth with 720.

Yashavi Jaiswal remains India's highest-ranked batter and is fourth with rating points of 780. Among other batters, Pakistan's Salman Ali Agha rose eight places to 14th after knocks of 31 and 63 in the second Test against England.

England opener Ben Duckett has surged to 11th spot after hitting 114 in the second Test against Pakistan.

"No fitness concerns" - Gautam Gambhir on Rishabh Pant ahead of IND vs NZ 2024 2nd Test

Rishabh Pant. (Image Credits: BCCI Twitter)
Rishabh Pant. (Image Credits: BCCI Twitter)

Team India head coach Gautam Gambhir has allayed any fitness concerns amid the keeper-batter suffering a knee injury sustained while keeping wickets in the opening Test. The former Indian opener said at a press conference on Wednesday.

"Absolutely. I think he's going to keep wickets tomorrow. (There are) no other fitness concerns."

Rohit Sharma and Co. succumbed to a rare Test loss on home soil as New Zealand consigned them to an eight-wicket defeat in Bengaluru to go 1-0 up in the series. While the hosts staged a sensational fightback after being bowled out for 46 in their first innings and conceding a 356-run lead, their twin batting collapses proved costly.

With the Black Caps set 107 to win, they did it with eight wickets to spare. The victory also proved to be their first Test triumph on Indian soil after 36 years.

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