"I’d have him opening the batting” - Brad Hogg suggests partner for Yashasvi Jaiswal in ENG vs IND 2025 Tests

Former Australian spinner Brad Hogg picked newly appointed Indian captain Shubman Gill as Yashasvi Jaiswal's opening partner for the upcoming Test tour of England. Team India will take on England in a highly anticipated five-Test series, starting at Leeds on June 20.

With the recent retirements of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, India will have a relatively new and inexperienced batting order for the England series. Meanwhile, Gill has batted at No. 3 for India in Tests since the middle of the 2023 season, with Jaiswal and Rohit at the top.

However, with Rohit's retirement, India have several choices for the second opening spot. Gill opened the batting in Tests from his debut to the first half of 2023 but does not boast an impressive record at the top, averaging only 32.37 in 29 innings.

Talking about India's new opener to partner Jaiswal in Tests and the rest of the batting order in an interview with Rev Sportz, Hogg said:

"I’d like to see Nair play a lot more. Shubman Gill will be opening the batting and I’d have him opening the batting with Jaiswal as well, probably. Then you’ve got Pant coming in at six, as I said. You’d have KL Rahul, Nair there. I’d actually have Sudharsan in there as well, coming in at number three. So you’ve got a lot of youth up there."

He added:

"Sudharsan, the way that he played in the T20 games, I just thought he’s got a fantastic technique. Just love the way that he plays the ball late. He’s able to hit those gaps behind point while still playing a straight bat and work off his pads. So I think he’s got an excellent technique for playing the ball late. I’d like to have him opening the batting. You might have Gill at number three, but I still like that right-hand and left-hand combination."

Sai Sudharsan is yet to play Tests for India but is coming off an excellent first-class and IPL season. Apart from himself and Gill, India could also take the KL Rahul route to partner Jaiswal after the duo's successes in their previous series in Australia.

"Sudharsan is probably going to be the best bat out of those three" - Brad Hogg

Brad Hogg believes Sai Sudharsan will ultimately be the most successful batter between himself, Gill, and Jaiswal. While Gill and Jaiswal have represented India in all three formats, Sudharsan has played only three ODIs and a lone T20I.

"I think Sudharsan is probably going to be the best bat out of those three going forward. So I think he’s probably best suited at three, or maybe four, and have the experience of Nair coming in at three. Then you have Rahul, Pant and Jadeja coming in that middle order where you’ve got that experience," said Hogg.

Sudharsan was the Orange Cap winner in the recently concluded IPL 2025, finishing with 759 runs in 15 matches at an average of over 54 and a strike rate of 156.17. However, his first-class average is surprisingly under 40 after 29 outings.