Rishabh Pant was briefly treated after being hit during net practice ahead of India’s three-match ODI series against New Zealand. During the session, Pant was batting against throwdown specialists when he was struck above his waist. The impact left Pant grimacing in pain, and he was attended to by the team's support staff and head coach Gautam Gambhir.

Meanwhile, Rohit Sharma was seen offering batting tips to Mohammed Siraj, who was practicing in the nets. Siraj, who only had a batting stint during the optional training session, struggled to connect with the ball early on, and Rohit was quick to provide guidance.

India's vice-captain, Shreyas Iyer, was seen batting alongside KL Rahul in the nets, while Ravindra Jadeja and Pant also had their turns. Iyer, fresh off captaining Mumbai in a narrow loss to Punjab in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, joined in for some practice. All three – Siraj, Iyer, and Pant – had been busy playing in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, which concluded on January 8, with the ODI series against New Zealand starting on Sunday.

Pant received some initial treatment and walked off the field after the blow. India captain Shubman Gill was also seen having a conversation with chairman of selectors, Ajit Agarkar, during the session. The first ODI of the series will be held at the Baroda Cricket Association Stadium in Vadodara, marking the venue’s first men’s international match. The second ODI will take place at Rajkot’s Niranjan Shah Stadium on January 14, with the third match scheduled for January 18 at Holkar Stadium in Indore.