India vs England: Gill to take over No. 4 spot, Pant to stick with No. 5

As India ready themselves for a new-look batting line-up after the departure of senior batters Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli ahead of the England Tests, vice-captain Rishabh Pant on Wednesday confirmed that while the team remains currently undecided on the No. 3 spot, captain Shubman Gill will bat at No. 4 in the series while he will follow at the No. 5 slot.

- HT Correspondent

NEW DELHI:

So far, it was Kohli who had been batting at the pivotal No. 4 spot, which means Gill has big shoes to fill.

"I think there is still discussion going on about who is going to play 3. 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," said the wicket-keeper batter in Leeds. There are returnees and several batters who are on their first tour to England under the new-look Gill-led team. In the process, India are also chasing their first series win in England since 2007. Aware that India are undergoing a transition, Pant believes that it is more of an opportunity than a challenge.

"It's a new start for us. Big people have left and there will be a gap but at the same time, there's an opportunity to build a new culture forward or add to it," he said. "We can help the new players to learn and improve in overseas conditions. And we have a lot of care and love for each other in the dressing room."