As India prepares for the much-anticipated five-Test series against England, starting Thursday at Headingley, vice-captain Rishabh Pant has provided a clear picture of the team’s middle-order structure, confirming Shubman Gill at No. 4 for the first time in his 32-Test career and himself at the usual No. 5 while keeping the suspense alive around the crucial No. 3 slot.
“I think there is still discussion going on, who’s going to play three,” Pant said during a pre-match press conference.
“But definitely four and five are fixed. I think Shubman is going to bat at number four, and I am going to stick to number five as of now,” he confirmed.
The options for No. 3 seem to be the returning Karun Nair and the uncapped B Sai Sudharsan, who is rated highly by experts. There might be room for both of them in the XI as India need to slot in another specialist batter after Pant at No. 5. If Nair is indeed the No. 3, and given Ravindra Jadeja’s near certainty as the allrounder, that one remaining batting position could go to either Sudharsan or Nitish Kumar Reddy, who scored a century in Australia.
Meanwhile, Gill’s move to No. 4, an iconic position previously occupied by batting legends Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli, comes as part of a major reshuffle in the wake of Kohli’s retirement from the longest format last month.
The 25-year-old not only inherits the weight of the number but also takes charge as Test captain for the first time in a full series.
Pant, returning to the format with added responsibility, reaffirmed his consistent mindset and focus. Back in England not just as the only visiting wicketkeeper to have scored two hundreds, the 27-year-old now carries the tag of a senior batter in the absence of stalwarts like Kohli and former captain Rohit Sharma.
“Personally, I am in a good head space. Whenever I play cricket, I look to contribute from my side, be it batting, fielding, or wicket keeping. That is the kind of thought process with which I play cricket all the time, and nothing changes for me coming to England,” he said.
“It feels good, boss. Finally,” Pant said how it felt to be called a ‘senior’ batter. “It feels good but at the same time, you know it’s a responsibility also to share your knowledge, your experience with our new players, new youngsters coming to the team. But at the same time, not focusing on that senior part too much, you still have to play the game, you still have to learn the game as an individual and keep helping people around you. That’s how I look at it,” he added.
Pant, who has so far featured in 43 Tests, doesn’t see the seniority — he is the most experienced batter after KL Rahul — affecting his batting when he is in the middle. “See it’s extracted responsibility, but at the same time when you are in the middle of the ground, you are not thinking, ‘Oh, I’m the vice-captain. I’m the senior player.’ You’re just a batsman in the middle. You’ve got to do the best you can from your side, and eventually the game will take care of itself.”
The wicketkeeper-batter also spoke highly of his chemistry with Gill, which he believes will be an asset under pressure.
“Shubman and I have good camaraderie, especially off the field,” Pant said. “If you are good friends off the field, it eventually comes on the field. Me and him gel really well together. The kind of comfort zone we have with each other, I think that will be really special.”
With the No. 3 position still undecided and a young core stepping in to fill big shoes, India begins a new era in red-ball cricket. But for Pant, the focus remains steady – contribute in every way possible and embrace the challenge ahead.