Shubman Gill, India’s batting hero, will not only make his Test debut as skipper, but also as the team’s new No.4 batter in the upcoming five-match Test series against England, which begins at Headingley. Aakash Chopra, a former India cricketer turned broadcaster, commented on the change, calling it a rare instance of a batsman demoting himself in Test cricket.
Shubman Gill, who has played 32 Tests, has either opened the innings or batted third.
However, with batting mainstay Virat Kohli’s retirement leaving a major vacuum at No. 4, the kid has decided to take over the role. Chopra discussed the adjustment on his YouTube channel, noting that batsmen rarely move down the order in red-ball cricket, particularly after starting as openers.
“It has been confirmed that the captain will play at No. 4.” When you look at Shubman Gill’s career, it began with opening and progressed to No. 4, which is an amazing story since people seldom move down the order in Test cricket,” he added.
The former batter explained how most Indian Test batters move up the order over time. He cited Sachin Tendulkar and Kohli as examples of players who began their careers at lower levels and rose to the No. 4 spot. On the other hand, players like Virender Sehwag and Rohit Sharma, who were elevated to the opening spot, never dropped down the order.
“They definitely go up the order. Someone may begin at No. 5 or No. 6, then gradually progress to No. 4 or No. 3. People rarely begin as openers and subsequently move down the order. I don’t recall very many players. I don’t recall anyone from the Indian context, at least recently. Maybe once in a while, but not more than that,” he continued.
Sai Sudharsan is poised to make his debut in Headingley
With the 25-year-old confirming his No. 4 batting position, many have speculated on who will bat third. Chopra believes B Sai Sudharsan is the leader, citing his outstanding domestic performances and current form. However, he mentioned Karun Nair as a possible candidate, noting that Nair has been seen hitting high in practice games.
Chopra claimed that Nair may bat at No. 6, with Ravindra Jadeja expected to take No. 7. In the seam-bowling all-rounder category, Shardul Thakur appears to be ahead of Nitish Kumar Reddy.
“Karun Nair was always one of the top four batters that went to bat. So it could be Karun Nair at No. 3, but I believe Karun Nair is at No. 6. It appears like Shardul Thakur will be the frontrunner. Nitish Kumar Reddy may play with him, but there may only be room for one of them,” the Agra native concluded.
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