India's Test skipper Shubman Gill will resume his duties against England at Leeds on June 20
We are past the T20 fever. It is now time for a change, in not just the format or the colour of the ball, but most importantly the mindset. Unlike the shortest format, Test cricket is a game of perseverance, patience and temperament. England are set to host India in an enthralling five-match Test series starting June 20, and the English summer is just about to get interesting.
The Indian team has set foot on English soil and would be itching to get started under the new red-ball skipper Shubman Gill. The experience quotient has taken a considerable hit with the retirement of two of the Indian stalwarts in Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. But this series could end up becoming the stepping stone for Gill in his career as the captain. The 18-member squad consists of quite a few exciting prospects, who could very well end up being in the team’s long-term vision.
Over the last decade, the no. 4 spot for India in Tests was a no-brainer. But with Kohli hanging his boots in the longest format of the game, that all-important spot is up for grabs again. This will certainly be one of the most important things in the minds of Gill and the management. As the skipper, the youngster would certainly love to put his hand up and make that spot his own. But those are huge shoes to fill.
Coming in at four, India’s most successful red-ball skipper has amassed 7564 runs at an average of 50.09, with 26 centuries to his name. Kohli’s consistency and hunger for runs stood out on multiple occasions. He registered 26 hundreds in the longest format and seven double-hundreds at number four in his tenure as captain – a record that stands till date.
However, India’s new red-ball skipper has proven that he is no mug with the bat in the longest format. Over a career comprising 32 Test appearances, the youngster has scored close to 1900 runs at an average of 35.05. Gill’s most successful batting position has been No.3, with 1019 runs in 30 innings at an average of just above 37.
The only problem for the Indian skipper is the inswinging delivery. Gill has frequently lost his wicket to the ball coming in to him, and the English pacers would be locked in to pounce on that aspect. Moreover, batting at No.4 hasn’t yet made an appearance in his resume, and how he prepares to tackle that loophole would define his success at the new batting position.
KL Rahul would be the first choice opener alongside Yashasvi Jaiswal, considering the form that he has shown in the unofficial Test. Jaiswal is yet to make a Test appearance on English soil. But the southpaw has shown tremendous potential at the top of the order in foreign conditions and can clearly walk into the XI.
India’s options for the no. 4 spot apart from Gill would be Sai Sudharsan and Karun Nair. But both these players have got a solid technique against the swinging ball, and would be well utilised at No.3, where a robust technique is paramount. In India A’s first unofficial Test against the England Lions, India’s triple-centurion walked in at 3 when the score read 12/1. What followed was ecstasy. He scored a mammoth 204 in an incredible display of grit, temperament and discipline.
Sai Sudharsan has played in the County and boasts of a century, batting at No.6 against Nottinghamshire in the 2024 season. Rishabh Pant would be better off playing in the middle-order, considering his problems against the swinging delivery.
Another consideration that India can make is that of Dhruv Jurel. Though the Rajasthan Royals (RR) wicketkeeper-batter hasn’t found a strong footing in India’s Test XI, his performances and composure speak great volumes.
If Gill wishes to retain himself at No.3, Karun Nair stands a good chance of walking in at 4. This would mean that both Sudharsan and Jurel would have to wait on the sidelines for a bit longer, depending on the combination India wishes to go ahead with. But this would also mean Gill facing unto the new ball a few times, something that hasn’t quite worked out well in the past, especially in overseas conditions.
Now here’s something interesting. Apart from the No.4 spot conundrum, Gill might have some more similarities with Kohli. The 36-year old’s first tour to England was way back in 2014, when he was not leading the side. Kohli could only gather 134 runs under his belt at an average of a mere 13.4. The series ended on a pretty poor note.
Come 2018, Kohli stepped foot on English soil again, this time as a skipper. The plans were set, and the work done was evident. He ended up scoring 593 runs in 10 innings that time around, averaging a mammoth 59.3 in the series with three fifties and two hundreds.
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For Shubman Gill too, his previous outings in England haven’t been convincing to say the least. Gill averaged just 14.66 on English soil. But this time around, Gill steps foot as captain, much like Kohli did in 2018. More responsibility might just mean an opportunity for the youngster to up the ante, and he will aim for nothing lower than that.
We never know. Unlike the arrival, India’s departure from England after the Test series might see a string of fans at the airport!
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