Who will REPLACE Rishabh Pant in India vs Australia Test series squad? Ishan Kishan, Sanju Samson in race

With Rishabh Pant to take time to recover from injuries from car accident, BCCI selectors have started to zero on in the replacement options ahead of the all-important Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2022-23 which begins on February 9

Rishabh Pant is racing against time now. After meeting a terrible car accident, the good news is that he survived it. He must be thanking his stars for escpaping through such a harsh accident. However, his recovering period is uncertain and that is why the Indian cricketer could end up missing the Test series vs Australia. The Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2023, which consists of four Tests, will start on February 9. That means Pant has just about one month to get better in terms of fitness. But so far there is no update on his MRI scans on knee and other joints. 

As per a PTI report, Pant is set to miss the four-match Test series. The BCCI sources have disclosed to the news agency that it looks unlikely that Pant will be fit for the four-match Tests. "He has extensive swelling so MRI of ankle and knee is yet to be conducted. Once he is fit enough to travel, he will come to Mumbai where he will be under the board's empanelled doctor Dinshaw Pardiwala," a BCCI source told PTI on the condition of anonymity.

If Pant does not make the cut, the selectors have a big task of replacing Pant, who is one of the best players for India in the format and is the reason why India have won so much abroad and at home. As per the same report, there are three names which have already started to do the rounds. They are KS Bharat, Upendra Yadav and Ishan Kishan. 

Even Kerala wicketkeeper and batter Sanju Samson is in the race. The reason is that Sanju is an attacking batter alongwith Ishan. Selectors might look to replace aggressive Pant with someone like them. But the only thing that can go against Sanju and Ishan is that they have not kept wickets in the Ranji Trophy 2022-23 season. 

Bharat and Upendra are India A player so they are always the first choice but it is also true that they are not in the same league as Pant. India would want an equally capable guy, if not more, to replace Pant in the middle order aainst the Aussies.