Jasprit Bumrah and Rishabh Pant are expected to feature for India A in the third unofficial Test against New Zealand A, according to reports. Pant has been sidelined with a side strain, so his appearance hinges on him being cleared for fitness.

The development matters because it signals that India's senior players are using these unofficial fixtures to build up their match readiness. For Pant in particular, a return to the field after an injury layover would be closely watched, and a clean fitness test would ease concerns about his availability. Bumrah's involvement suggests the think tank is treating the match as a meaningful workload check rather than a formality.

Full details on the squads and fitness updates can be found on ESPNcricinfo.