Shubman Gill to Bat at No. 4 as India Tinker with Top Order Ahead of First Test at Headingley

India’s vice-captain Rishabh Pant has revealed that Shubman Gill is locked in to bat at No. 4 in the upcoming Test series against England, stepping into the spot vacated by Virat Kohli after his retirement. With Rohit Sharma also hanging up his whites, there’s a fresh feel to this Indian Test side, and the batting order is still a bit of a jigsaw puzzle.

Pant confirmed the development at a pre-match press conference just days before the Headingley Test. “I think there is still discussion going on about who is going to play 3,” Pant said. “But 4, 5 are definitely fixed. I think Shubman is going to bat at 4 and I am going to stick to No. 5 as of now, and rest we are going to keep on discussing that.” 

India are still weighing their options for the crucial No. 3 role. Karun Nair, making a return to the setup, and the uncapped but highly-rated B Sai Sudharsan are the leading contenders. Both could even make the XI, considering India need another batter after Pant at No. 5. Nair looks slightly ahead in the race. He batted at No. 3 for India in a closed-door practice game against India A and was seen in the slip cordon during drills. The top order, meanwhile, is expected to feature Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul as openers—reuniting after previously partnering during the Australia tour. 

If Nair gets the nod at three, and with Ravindra Jadeja all but certain to feature as the main allrounder, that leaves one middle-order spot open. It could go to Sudharsan or possibly Nitish Kumar Reddy, who made a mark with a century in Australia. Having said that, more questions remain around the bowling lineup. India have to decide whether to stick with four bowlers and extra batting depth or add a fifth option, like Reddy or Washington Sundar. That approach came under criticism during the Australia series, where India struggled to take 20 wickets—something past Indian Test teams have prioritized. 

England Finalize XI with Pope at No. 3 

England, on the other hand, have announced their starting XI a day early. Ollie Pope will bat at No. 3, retaining his spot despite recent inconsistent form and rising pressure from young talent Jacob Bethell. Bethell impressed in New Zealand with three fifties in as many games, including a gritty 96 in Wellington while standing in as a makeshift keeper. But Pope’s return to No. 3 against Zimbabwe, where he scored a commanding 171, seems to have sealed the deal. 

England’s director of cricket Rob Key described the decision as having “two brilliant options” for one spot, but experience won out. Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum will hope Pope repays that trust when the series kicks off. In the bowling department, Chris Woakes and Brydon Carse return to the XI after missing the Zimbabwe Test with injuries. Gus Atkinson is still sidelined, so Josh Tongue and Shoaib Bashir keep their places, with Stokes completing the attack. 

England XI: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (capt), Jamie Smith (wk), Chris Woakes, Brydon Carse, Josh Tongue, Shoaib Bashir.