However, the recent incident made the team management cautious as Rohit Sharma noted that Pant wasn’t very comfortable running while running in the second innings. The Indian captain explained that the injury wasn’t a massive one but the team management decided to bench and not risk him as he is a very important asset in the Test squad.

Pant's journey back to cricket after car accident. Following Pant's injury, Dhruv Jurel was called upon to replace him behind the stumps. The International Cricket Council's (ICC)

Rishabh Pant’s knee injury meant he did not keep wicket on the final day of the first Test between India and New Zealand in Bengaluru.

India captain Rohit Sharma, has provided a crucial update on wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant, who suffered a blow to his knee on Day 2 of the first Test against New Zealand at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.

Rohit also hailed Pant for his knock in the second innings where he missed his century by a solitary run. The Indian captain suggested that the team management wants to give freedom to the flamboyant keeper-batter.

India need to be extra careful with Rishabh Pant, said captain Rohit Sharma after the wicketkeeper batter did not take the field on Sunday, the final day of the Test match. On Day 4, Pant had played a sensational 99-run innings to help India wipe out the deficit vs New Zealand.

Dhruv Jurel replaced Rishabh Pant behind the stumps after the latter was hit on his right knee at the fag end of Day 2 in the India vs New Zealand 1st Test. While Pant made 99 in the second innings, he did not keep wickets throughout the game.

Rohit Sharma said that Rishabh Pant was not comfortable running during the match and they've got to be extra careful with him.

In place of Pant, who hammered 99 runs from 105 balls on Saturday, Dhruv Jurel kept the wickets during New Zealand's second innings on Sunday.