Former Australia skipper predicts India’s batting line-up, KL Rahul not to open, Shubman Gill at no.4

India’s tour of England, beginning June 20, marks the beginning of a new era in Indian cricket. While the transition has already taken shape in T20Is, the Test side will now also move forward without stalwarts Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma.

Led by new captain Shubman Gill, the series will be a major challenge for the team. With Rohit no longer opening and Kohli vacating the No. 4 spot, all eyes will be on the team management’s choices to fill these key roles.

Multiple reports suggest that KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal are expected to open, with Sai Sudharsan slotting in at No. 3 and Shubman Gill batting at No. 4. However, former Australia captain and current Punjab Kings coach Ricky Ponting offered a different perspective.

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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 on ICC review

“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. 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.”

“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 Niar for the start of the England series.”

Gill has indicated that the team management will finalise the batting order following India’s intra-squad match, which begins on June 13.

“We haven’t really decided on the…we still have some time. We will be playing intra squad match and we will be having a 10-day camp in London, so we still have a little bit of time. I think we can decide on the batting order once we go there,” he said.

“When I came to know, there was an opportunity to captain the Test team, it was overwhelming. Having said that It’s a big responsibility. Looking forward to this great challenge that will be presented to us,” Shubman Gill said before departing for England.