Ricky Ponting Urges Shubman Gill to Bat at No. 4 in England Tests, Citing ‘Sehwag-Like’ Aggression as Potential Vulnerability

Australian cricket great Ricky Ponting has recommended that Indian Test captain Shubman Gill consider batting at No. 4 during the series against England, which begins on June 20, 2025. Gill was captain of Gujarat Titans (GT) during IPL 2025 and led them to 3rd place on the points table.

Ponting thinks batting at No. 4 would lessen the pressure for Gill, especially with the added responsibility of captaincy. With India trying to replace great Virat Kohli for the long-term, they are looking for a suitable candidate at No. 4.

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“His white-ball form has been incredibly good. He's got a little bit of work to do, on his Test match batting. And that's never easy when you're a new captain, to have to worry about your batting to the degree that he's going to have to, it won't be easy for him,” said Ponting.

The former Australian captain noted that if India opens the batting with Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sai Sudharsan, Gill can bat at No. 4 to solidify the middle order.

“If they go with (Yashasvi) Jaiswal and Sai Sudharsan as openers, they need someone more experienced at No. 3 — maybe KL Rahul or Karun Nair. That would allow Shubman to bat at four. Once you grow into it, then you can move yourself back up to No. 3,” added Ponting.

Ponting felt confident that Gill would adapt as captain as he thought the 25-year-old had a temperament for high-pressure situations. He also pointed to some areas of improvement for Gill, especially his ability to concentrate over long innings.

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“He just seems the sort of guy that the extra responsibility wouldn’t faze too much. He’s got a really level head on his shoulders. He’s someone who’s going to be around Indian cricket for another 10 years,” Ponting conceded.

“I think it’s more his mental application. There’s nothing wrong technically. But sometimes, he might get ahead of himself or be a little lazy during an innings. You’ve got to be 100% committed for every ball, for six or seven hours of the day. That’s the challenge for Shubman,” he added.

The head coach of Punjab Kings (PBKS) noted the need to seek the right mindset and controlling the stroke rather than just defense.

“Some great Test players didn’t have great defensive games. But if you’re in control of your strokeplay, that’s less of a worry. Defence is important, but mindset matters more,” Ponting concluded.

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