Agarkar, Gambhir Face KL Rahul vs Shubman Gill Dilemma as India Prepare for England Tests Without Rohit and Kohli

It’s always been hard to imagine an Indian Test side without the likes of Tendulkar and the legendary Fab Five, but when that era ended, players like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane seamlessly stepped up. Over the years, they not only filled the void but elevated Indian Test cricket to new heights, becoming modern greats and ushering in one of its most successful phases.

But that era is now officially over. India phased out Rahane and Pujara two years ago. And within the span of a week this May, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli both pulled the curtain on their Test careers—Rohit with a surprise social media announcement on May 7, and Kohli days later, after word spread that he’d already informed the BCCI of his decision.

With the five-match England series just weeks away—and a Test series win in England still eluding India since 2007—the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee and new head coach Gautam Gambhir face a real challenge. The transition won’t be easy, but the talent pool is deep. India has options, and several new faces are ready to step up. Here’s how the new-look Test batting line-up might take shape.

Who Opens with Jaiswal?

Yashasvi Jaiswal is a lock. The 22-year-old has already scored 1,798 runs from 19 Tests at an average of 52.88, including four centuries. He proved himself in Australia last season, but England—with its tricky seam movement and Dukes ball—will be another test altogether.

With Rohit gone, India could revisit Shubman Gill at the top. While Gill has settled into the No. 3 role over the past year, scoring three hundreds at home, his away numbers as an opener are stronger: a 31.54 average with two fifties, compared to just 19 from 12 innings at No. 3 overseas. That said, his last England tour was forgettable—just 88 runs across six innings.

Another contender is KL Rahul. He has a proven record in English conditions, averaging 34 as an opener with two hundreds. After a decent run in Australia, he’s expected to be match-ready for England and brings crucial experience.

Outside picks include Abhimanyu Easwaran, who’s been a consistent performer in domestic cricket and was part of the Australia tour squad. He’ll be in England with the India A side. Sai Sudharsan, another left-hander, is also in the mix. He scored a County Championship century for Surrey and a double ton for Tamil Nadu in the last Ranji season.

Who Replaces Kohli at No. 4?

For over a decade, India never had to think twice about the No. 4 spot—Kohli owned it. But with his exit, the question suddenly becomes central.

KL Rahul is again a strong contender. He’s batted in all top-four slots and could be slotted in at No. 4 if the management prefers to keep Gill as opener. Sudharsan is another option, either directly replacing Kohli or shifting depending on where Rahul bats.

Some are also floating the idea of Rishabh Pant batting at No. 4, a move that could bring explosive energy to the middle order. That would open up the lower-middle slot for someone like Sudharsan or another in-form batter.

Karun Nair is a dark horse. Fresh off a brilliant Ranji season and with solid County form—averaging 49 with a century and three fifties—he’ll also be touring with India A and could be drafted in.

Shreyas Iyer and Devdutt Padikkal round out the realistic options. Iyer had a decent domestic season, while Padikkal made a promising debut against England earlier this year, scoring 65 in one of his two innings.

Predicted India Batting Line-up for England Tests:

• KL Rahul

• Yashasvi Jaiswal

• Shubman Gill

• Sai Sudharsan / Karun Nair

• Rishabh Pant

• Ravindra Jadeja

• Nitish Kumar Reddy

Bench Strength & Backups:

Abhimanyu Easwaran, Shreyas Iyer, Devdutt Padikkal, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Rajat Patidar, Sarfaraz Khan, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar.

It’s a big moment for Indian cricket—a clean break from the Kohli-Rohit era. England will be the first real test of the next generation’s mettle, and all eyes will be on how well India can turn the page without two of its biggest match-winners.