'Pant looks fitter and is raring to go'

'I feel he looks a bit more fit and strong and as courageous as always he is.'

Wicketkeeper batter Rishabh Pant is looking "fitter" and is raring to go in the two-match four-day series against South Africa A in Bengaluru, India A vice-captain Sai Sudharsan said on Wednesday.

Pant, who will lead India A, is returning after a three-month absence because of a foot injury which he sustained in July in England, and now the 28-year-old southpaw is aiming to get back to the national fold during the two-match Test series against the Proteas.

“Rishabh looks fantastic, actually, may be fitter I would say. He had some time to build, put that training in his legs because sometimes when you get injured you have that specific time to work on whatever you want. I feel he looks a bit more fit and strong and as courageous as always he is,” said Sudharsan after India A's training session.

The Tamil Nadu batter said Pant was in his characteristic bubbly self during the training session at the BCCI Centre of Excellence and has exhorted the team to use the matches to get the red-ball rhythm.

“The message from Pant is very clear. We were in a huddle on the first day of training and he was saying that this is a great opportunity for everybody to again get the rhythm of the game. At the same time, we are also playing to win and that is the main thing,” he noted.