Rishabh Pant Reveals India's Batting Line-Up Ahead of Test Series Against England

India's New Era in Test Cricket

Rishabh Pant, the vice-captain and wicketkeeper-batter for Team India, has announced the batting order for the first Test against England at Headingley, Leeds, scheduled for June 20. This match marks a significant transition for the team following the retirements of key players Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Ravichandran Ashwin.

With Rohit and Kohli stepping away from Test cricket prior to the squad announcement for the England tour, and Ashwin retiring during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Shubman Gill has been entrusted with leading the batting lineup in red-ball cricket, supported by Pant.

Shubman Gill Takes Over No.4 Spot

During a press conference before the Test match, Pant confirmed that Shubman Gill will fill the No.4 batting position previously held by Kohli, while Pant will remain at No.5. He noted that discussions are ongoing regarding the rest of the batting order, particularly the openers and the No.3 position.

"There are still discussions about who will bat at No. 3, but No. 4 and 5 are confirmed. Shubman will bat at No. 4, and I will stick to No. 5 for now," Pant stated.

Assessing the No.3 Batting Position

The No.3 batting position remains undecided, with Rishabh Pant indicating that several players are being considered. The leading candidates for this crucial spot appear to be Karun Nair and Sai Sudharsan.

Karun Nair, returning to the national team after an eight-year hiatus, recently played at No.3 for India A against England Lions, scoring a double century and totaling 259 runs at an impressive average of 86.33 in three innings. In the Ranji Trophy, he accumulated 863 runs, including four centuries, at an average of 53.93 over nine matches.

Nair also has experience in the County Championship, where he scored 736 runs at an average of 56.61 over two seasons, including a standout performance last season with 487 runs, featuring a double century against Glamorgan.

Conversely, Sai Sudharsan is set to make his Test debut after a stellar IPL season, where he earned the Orange Cap with 759 runs in 15 matches. He also played in the County Championship for Surrey, scoring 281 runs, including a century and a fifty, at an average of 35.13 in eight innings.