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The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) recently signaled the start of a transformative era in Indian Test cricket by naming an 18-member squad for the upcoming five-match Test series against England, starting June 20 at Headingley, Leeds.
This announcement was not just about a squad, it was a declaration of generational change. With stalwarts like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Ravichandran Ashwin stepping away from the red-ball format, India’s future now rests firmly in the hands of the new captain Shubman Gill and vice-captain Rishabh Pant. The leadership transition, though anticipated, still marks a poignant moment in Indian cricket history, drawing the curtain on a golden era while laying the foundation for the next. All attention now turns to how this young core adapts to the unforgiving English conditions where seam, swing, and mental resilience define success.
Virender Sehwag steps in with his India’s predicted batting order for England series
As excitement brews over what India’s first playing XI under the Gill-Pant leadership might look like, former Indian opener Virender Sehwag, speaking on Cricbuzz, has added fuel to the anticipation by revealing his preferred batting order for the series opener at Headingley. Host Gaurav Kapoor highlighted how the No. 4 Test position, once held by Kohli, is now open and a major role to fill. He further asked who might take that spot.
“The number four position, which was set for the last 10 years, India’s number four in Test cricket was Virat Kohli. Now that he has left that spot, it’s a huge void to fill. According to you, will Shubman Gill take that place, or who? Because even the batting order has seen a lot of shuffling,” Gaurav said.
Sehwag listed the number of openers in the squad and suggests that competition for spots is intense. He explains why Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul are likely to play with Gill being captain, Jaiswal performing well, and Rahul’s experience.
“See, first of all, there are so many openers. Shubman Gill opens, Yashasvi Jaiswal opens, Sai Sudharsan opens, KL Rahul opens. There’s also Abhimanyu Easwaran, though maybe he won’t get a chance in the playing XI. But these four Gill, Jaiswal, Sudharsan, and KL Rahul all have the potential to be in the playing XI. They have the hunger to perform. You’ll definitely want to play KL Rahul. Jaiswal just performed well in Australia. Shubman Gill is the captain he’s going to play for sure. So we already have three openers. And if Sudharsan is in great form, the captain would surely want to give him a chance too. After all, he’s also his best friend or let’s say, his opening partner. You understand a player better when you’ve played with him,” Sehwag said.
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Sehwag believes competition for No. 4 is open
Sehwag further added that the competition for No. 4 is open between Rahul, Sai Sudharsan and Pant, whoever performs in the England series may seal it. He suggested Gill and Jaiswal should open, Sudharsan should bat at No. 3, and Pant at No. 4.
“Exactly, and that brings us to the point: who will bat at number four now? Will KL Rahul bat at four? Will it be Sai Sudharsan? Or Rishabh Pant? The battle for the number four slot is wide open now. Whoever plays at number four in the England series and scores runs will probably seal that spot for the future. In my view, Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal should open. Sai Sudharsan should bat at number three. Rishabh Pant should come in at number four,” Sehwag added.
Gaurav proposed Rahul at No. 5, followed by Jadeja or other all-rounders from No. 6 onward. Sehwag nodded in agreement with Gaurav’s lineup suggestion.
“Okay, then KL Rahul comes in at number five, fair enough. And then from number six onwards, we go with Ravindra Jadeja or whichever all-rounder and bowlers are selected,” Gaurav concluded.
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