Shubman Gill or KL Rahul? Virat Kohli's number 4 replacement gets Green Flag for England

Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting has opened up about who should replace Virat Kohli at the crucial No. 4 position in the upcoming England Test series. Ponting backed newly appointed skipper Shubman Gill to bat at No. 4 in Tests following Kohli's retirement ahead of the five-match Test series.

India are set to take on England in the upcoming Test series, starting on June 20 in Leeds. With veterans Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Ravichandran Ashwin having retired from the format, the squad will feature several fresh faces. Shubman Gill will lead the side, with Rishabh Pant named vice-captain.

Sai Sudarshan and Yashasvi Jaiswal Will Open Batting - Ricky Ponting

Speaking to The ICC Review, Ricky Ponting said that Sai Sudarshan and Yashasvi Jaiswal are likely to open for India in England. With two young openers, India might prefer a more experienced batsman at No. 3 in the order.

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"I think (Sai) Sudarshan and (Yashasvi) Jaiswal will open the batting (in England) as Sudarshan just looks like a class player to me and technically I think he could do well at Test level," Ponting said.

"They'll have two pretty young opening batters, so they might look to go for someone that's got a bit more experience at No.3," Ponting said.

Shubman Gill Might End Up Being That No. 4 Player - Ricky Ponting

There’s still uncertainty about where Shubman Gill bats in the lineup. He has played as an opener or at No. 3 in his 32 Test matches so far. However, Ponting said that moving Shubman Gill down to No. 4 could ease the pressure of facing the new ball early.

"Whether that's KL (Rahul) or Karun (Nair) at No.3, and then Shubman might end up being that No.4 player, which will probably make life for him a little bit easier as a captain as well," Ponting continued.

"Not having to be opening or batting at No.3 as a young captain might make it easier. Their top five will probably be Sudarshan, Jaiswal, KL, Gill and Karun Nair for the start of the England series."

Shubman Gill has yet to bat at No. 4 in Test cricket during the last two World Test Championship cycles. Gill has captained India only once, in a five-match T20I series against Zimbabwe last year. He recently led the Gujarat Titans (GT) to a third-place finish in the IPL 2025.

Sai Sudharsan to Make His Debut for Team India in Tests?

Sai Sudharsan had a standout IPL 2025 season, winning the Orange Cap. The left-handed batter scored 759 runs in 15 matches at an impressive average of 54.21 and a strike rate of 156.17, including one century and six half-centuries.

Sudharsan has shown promise in the longer format with 1,957 runs in 29 first-class matches at an average of 39.93. He is one of three uncapped players selected for India’s upcoming five-Test series against England.

While Sudharsan’s Gujarat Titans performed well in IPL 2025, their campaign ended in the Eliminator with a loss to Mumbai Indians (MI).

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