The wicketkeeper missed last month's Test series against West Indies after fracturing his foot on the tour to England but played in a first-class fixture for India A against South Africa A recently where scored 90 in the second innings.
Pant replaces N Jagadeesan in the squad while seamer Akash Deep was also selected in the 15-man group having played the first two rounds of India's domestic first-class tournament.
Spinner Kuldeep Yadav was withdrawn from India's squad after two games in the five-match T20I series in Australia to return home and prepare for the Test matches.
The left-arm wrist-spinner will be playing for India A in the second four-day game against South Africa A starting in Bengaluru on Wednesday.
India's Test captain Shubman Gill as well as Jasprit Bumrah, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel and Washington Sundar will all join the squad at the conclusion of the T20I series in Australia.
The second and final Test of the series will be played in Guwahati, a city that will be hosting a Test match for the first time, from 22 November.
India and the Proteas will also contest three ODIs and five T20Is.
India Test squad: Shubman Gill (captain), Rishabh Pant (vc & wk), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Devdutt Padikkal, Dhruv Jurel, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Jasprit Bumrah, Axar Patel, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Mohammed Siraj, Kuldeep Yadav, Akash Deep
India top-order batter Ishan Kishan has been ruled out of the second T20I in New Zealand due to a groin strain, with teenage star Vaibhav Sooryavanshi poised to return to the starting XI.
India earned their highest-ever T20I run chase when they successfully chalked off New Zealand's 225/4 with four wickets remaining in a run-soaked encounter in Christchurch on Thursday night.
Less than eight overs were bowled in the fifth and final T20I between India and West Indies as heavy rain fell in Bengaluru.
India star seamer Jasprit Bumrah is doubtful to feature during the upcoming five-match ODI series against New Zealand in November despite being fully fit.
