As the Indian Test team embarks on a highly anticipated transition phase during the five-match Test series in England, the big question surrounding the team is: who will fill the heavy void left behind by two stars of Indian cricket - Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma? But with every ending comes a new beginning.

Former India cricketer and national selector Jatin Paranjape, who has witnessed the ebb and flow of Indian cricket from both inside the dressing room and the selection table, believes that Shubman Gill, the 25-year-old named India’s captain for the England series, is the most potent cricketer to fill the big shoes of Kohli.

“Kohli and Rohit will be missed, 100 per cent,” Jatin told Sports Now without hesitation when asked about the absence of Kohli and Rohit. “But, you know, there is no permanence in life - and definitely none in cricket.”

To draw a parallel with the current crisis, Jatin harked back to a seminal moment in Indian cricket: the 1996 tour of England. “The transition had to happen at some stage. My mind goes back to 1996 when Sanjay Manjrekar and Navjot Singh Sidhu were replaced by Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid. At that time also, we thought, how could we survive without them? And then Ganguly and Dravid came along.”

That transition was cushioned by the presence of stalwarts like Sachin Tendulkar and Mohammad Azharuddin. But today, Indian cricket faces a far steeper curve. “Out of the top six or seven batters in this current side, only KL Rahul has played the most number of Tests (58), and then you have Rishabh Pant and Shubman Gill with 30-odd Tests,” Paranjape pointed out. “All in all, I think the stars have aligned in such a way that with this tour in England, and the transition and the new captain, it is a very delicate time for Indian cricket. Had this tour been in India, it would have been a much easier task with the transition and the new captain.”

“A lot will actually depend on how the English summer turns out. If it is a good summer, if the sun is out, then it will be a good summer to bat. But if the summer has not been good - overcast situation prevails - then this inexperienced or lesser-experienced batting lineup will be severely tested,” Jatin added.

At the heart of this transition stands Shubman Gill, India’s newly appointed captain. The 25-year-old, whose own place in the Indian team was uncertain until the retirements of Kohli and Rohit, is now tasked with steering the ship.

“It is a good time to appoint him,” said Jatin. “Initially, I thought India might go for Rishabh Pant. But wicketkeeping is a mentally exhausting job. They wanted someone who is not too busy during the match, someone who can think, who has a little more free mind space to think about the game."

One of the more striking aspects of Jatin’s analysis is his unwavering backing of Sai Sudharsan at the all-important No. 3 spot, even at a time when the Indian team has not officially confirmed the batter for the position.

“They will back Sai,” he said confidently. “Gill will take over Virat Kohli's position at number 4. At least, I think that should be the approach. Gill has been batting at number 3. But for the sake of the team, he needs to take over that number 4 slot.”

“And for KL Rahul, now it is a very, very big series. He needs to take over Rohit Sharma's role at the top. So, I think KL Rahul and Shubman Gill are the right people to take the torch ahead from Kohli and Rohit Sharma,” he opined.

“So, I think the team which they will play will have Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul as openers. No. 3 Sai Sudharsan, No. 4, Gill. No. 5 Karun Nair and No. 6 Rishabh Pant. No. 7, Ravindra Jadeja. No. 8, Nitish Reddy. And 9, 10, 11 will be Prasidh Krishna, Jasprit Bumrah, and Mohammed Siraj,” Jatin said.

While all eyes are on the new-look batting order, Jatin offers a prophetic insight into the bowling attack. “Prasidh Krishna will be the revelation of this tour," he said. The tall and lanky pacer is known for extracting seam and swing from the pitches. And the English pitches will support his bowling instincts.

With India fielding a strong pace attack led by World No. 1 Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, and the skiddy Krishna, Jatin said this unit could be the deciding factor in the series. “Our bowling is strong. That is why I believe, despite the transition, this series will be a very close affair.”

But playing in England - considered one of the toughest conditions for touring teams to adapt to -comes with its own challenges. With the first Test at Headingley, Leeds - one of England’s trickiest wickets - India’s challenge is amplified.

“Headingley is always a tough pitch to bat on. England have a terrific batting lineup. And also, their new bowlers are coming through well. It is not going to be easy for India, and that is why I believe England will win 3-2,” stated Jatin, who was a member of the India national selection panel between 2016 and 2017.

Jatin Paranjape India Playing XI: Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill, Karun Nair, Rishabh Pant, Ravindra Jadeja, Nitish Reddy, Prasidh Krishna, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj.

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