With the first Test against England just two days away, India’s vice-captain Rishabh Pant confirmed on Tuesday that Shubman Gill will take over the No. 4 batting position, previously held by the now-retired Virat Kohli.
Speaking at a press interaction ahead of the Headingley Test, Pant added that he himself will come in at No. 5, while the team management continues to deliberate on who should bat at No. 3.
As the team begins life without stalwarts Rohit Sharma and Kohli, Shubman Gill, who recently took over the reins as Test captain, now finds himself not only leading the side in challenging English conditions but also shouldering the responsibility of one of Indian cricket’s most iconic batting slots.
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Shubman Gill to Bat at No. 4 in England Tests, Confirms Rishabh Pant
Addressing the media, Rishabh Pant gave important updates on India’s batting order. He confirmed that Gill will now drop a spot to No. 4, while he himself will be batting at 5. No. 3 position is still up for grabs as per Pant.
"I think there is still discussion going on, who’s going to play at No. 3 but definitely 4 and 5 are fixed. I think Shubman is going to bat at No. 4 and I’m going to stick to No. 5 as of now, and the rest, we’re going to keep on discussing about that," Pant said as quoted to reporters.
The No. 4 spot in India’s batting line-up is steeped in legacy. Sachin Tendulkar held it before he passed the baton to Kohli, who made it his own during a prolific Test career.
Gill has never batted at 4 in Test cricket. He started his career as an opener and later moved down to No. 3. Now, he is set to take on the job of a middle-order batter, giving himself a new challenge in the new era of Indian Test cricket.
No. 3 Still Open: KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Karun Nair in the Mix
While Gill and Pant’s spots are locked in, the No. 3 position remains up for grabs. KL Rahul is expected to open but if he does not take on that role, he will likely slot in at No. 3. There’s also talk around Sai Sudharsan being fast-tracked into the Test team. He has the game to flourish in England and could be India’s new No. 3 if he does not open alongside Yashasvi Jaiswal.
Another option is Karun Nair, who has returned to the Indian Test fold after almost seven years. Nair scored a double century batting at three in the first unofficial Test versus England Lions. India could take confidence from that and use him in the same role in the Headingley fixture.
