Virat Kohli’s surprise retirement from Test cricket right before the series against England leaves a big gap in the team. He was a key player at No. 4 for a long time, even if his performance hasn’t been as strong in recent years compared to his peak back in the mid-2010s. With Kohli gone, it’s time for younger players to step up. Reports suggest Shubman Gill will take the No. 4 spot, while KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal are expected to open. Sai Sudharshan, a newcomer, might take the No. 3 position. Former England spinner Monty Panesar believes Sudharshan has the potential to be a future star in Indian cricket, similar to what Kohli was for the team.
There are some really good young guys right now. One player who stands out is Sai Sudharsan from Surrey. He’s aggressive and looks confident. He’s done well in England and for Surrey, so I can see him becoming a key player for India, like Kohli was at No. 4, Panesar told InsideSport.
Sudharshan played for Surrey in 2023 and received his cap from Alec Stewart. Newly appointed captain Shubman Gill mentioned that the team will sort out the batting order after their intra-squad match starting on June 13. We haven’t decided yet. We have some time with a 10-day camp in London, so we’ll finalize the batting order then, he said.
As for Jasprit Bumrah’s participation in the upcoming five-Test series, nothing is confirmed yet. But both Gill and head coach Gautam Gambhir are hopeful that the team’s fast-bowling lineup can handle his possible absence. We haven’t figured out which three games he’ll play; we’ll discuss that with him. A lot depends on how the series goes, Gambhir added