Gill to Bat at No.4 in Tests, Confirms Rishabh Pant Ahead of England Series.
Rishabh Pant has confirmed that Shubman Gill will take over the No.4 spot in India’s batting order for the first Test against England at Headingley, starting June 20. This marks a significant transition for the Indian Test side, which begins a new era following the retirements of stalwarts Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma.
Gill, who has previously opened and later batted at No.3 for India, will now be entrusted with the pivotal No.4 role — a position held by Kohli for over a decade. Kohli scored 7,564 runs at an average of 51.18 from the No.4 spot in 98 Tests.
Speaking at a pre-departure press conference, Pant, who is expected to play at No.5, confirmed Gill’s new role while hinting that the No.3 slot is still under discussion.
“There is still some discussion going on regarding who will bat at No.3, but No.4 and No.5 are fixed. Shubman will bat at No.4 and I’ll stick to No.5 for now,” Pant told reporters.
Gill’s promotion underlines his growing importance in the team setup. Since replacing Cheteshwar Pujara at No.3 after the 2023 World Test Championship final, the 25-year-old has amassed 1,019 runs in 17 Tests, including three centuries. Taking on Kohli’s mantle will be his third major shift in the batting lineup since making his debut as an opener.
The revamped Indian lineup is expected to feature several new faces and reshuffled roles as the team enters a transitional phase. The tour of England will be their first big test in the post-Kohli-Rohit era.
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