'I pity India's next No. 4' - Ex England skipper unsure about Virat Kohli's replacement

Star India batting stalwart Virat Kohli recently announced his retirement from Test cricket after Rohit Sharma's exit from the longest format of the game. Notably, India are currently undergoing a transition phase as a result of the legends calling it curtains on their red-ball career. The iconic No. 4 spot, once held by Sachin Tendulkar and then Kohli himself, is now vacant, with many questioning who can step into those massive shoes. Former England captain Michael Atherton recently admitted that it's hard to imagine anyone matching the impact Kohli brought to the position.

The Delhi-born cricketer ended his red-ball career after 123 Tests, scoring 9,230 runs at an average of 46.85, with 30 centuries and 31 half-centuries. At the No. 4 position, Virat Kohli scored 7,564 runs in 160 innings, averaging over 50. Atherton paid tribute to the Indian great.

"It feels as though, at the start of a new World Test Championship cycle, this is the moment that India will start to regenerate and reshape their team. We're not sure who is going to take his place at No. 4 yet, and you kind of pity the person who has to follow because you've just had about 15 years of Kohli, and before that, it was Sachin Tendulkar," Atherton said on Sky Sports.

Who will fill in Kohli's number four spot?

As Team India prepare for the five-Test tour of England, the question is who will be Kohli’s successor in the middle order. Meanwhile, the frontrunners for this position are Shubman Gill and KL Rahul. Both started their careers as openers but have taken up middle-order roles. Gill has already been playing at No. 3 following Cheteshwar Pujara’s exit, while Rahul has been considered a flexible option across various batting positions. If the selectors opt for a new face, the pool includes Shreyas Iyer, Sarfaraz Khan, and Karun Nair. Iyer, despite past concerns against short-pitched bowling, is reportedly set to be back in the squad.