With the retirement of big names like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, Team India is gearing up for their five-match Test series in England and has some tough choices to make. There’s been a lot of chatter about how they’ll line up for the first Test in Leeds on June 20. Most of the players have played in three warm-up matches, including two against England Lions and one against each other, which wrapped up recently in Beckenham, Kent.
It seems the Indian team management, led by Gautam Gambhir, is close to finalizing their starting XI. Former cricketer Venkatapathy Raju shared his thoughts on the batting order he prefers. He thinks captain Shubman Gill should bat at number three and KL Rahul at number four. For the opening spot, he suggests either Karun Nair or Sai Sudharsan alongside Yashasvi Jaiswal.
I think Gill can be no. 3. You’ve got Jaiswal, Sudharsan, and Nair to pick from for the opening slot, and then KL can step in at four for some extra strength in the batting lineup, Raju said in an interview with Hindustan Times. He also mentioned, Rishabh Pant and Ravindra Jadeja will be back, so it’s all about balancing things out. That’s just my take, and it’s not about what they’ve planned. With the captaincy, Gill will have the space to enjoy his batting. So, I picture Jaiswal and Sudharsan opening, Gill at no. 3, and KL at no. 4, with Pant at no. 5.
The India tour of England is set for June to August 2025, with matches lined up at Headingley, Edgbaston, Lord’s, Old Trafford, and The Oval.