"That is something India will have to think about" - Aakash Chopra on visitors' batting on Day 4 of ENG vs IND 2025 4th Test

Former India player Aakash Chopra has opined that the No. 3 batting position has become a concern for the Indian team after Day 4 of the fourth Test against England. He noted that Shubman Gill and company will have to find a solution for that recurring problem.

Sai Sudharsan was dismissed for a golden duck as India reached 174/2 in their second innings in Manchester on Saturday, July 26. The visitors trail England by 137 runs, with Ben Stokes and company posting a mammoth 669-run total in their first innings earlier in the day.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel 'Aakash Chopra,' the cricketer-turned-commentator noted that Sudharsan and Karun Nair haven't been able to resolve India's No. 3 issue.

"A question that is coming to the fore repeatedly is what will happen to No. 3. Sai Sudharsan scored runs at No. 3 in the first innings. However, he got out for zero in the second innings. This happened to him previously as well, where he got out early," Chopra said (6:40).

"Karun Nair was given chances, but he couldn't do that well either. Abhimanyu Easwaran still hasn't got a chance at No. 3. Shreyas Iyer could be a possibility later on. The No. 3 problem is not yet sorted out, and that is something India will have to think about," he added.

Sai Sudharsan has aggregated 91 runs at an average of 22.75 in four innings at No. 3 in the ongoing Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy. Karun Nair scored 131 runs at an average of 21.83 in six innings, including four innings at No. 3, in the first three Tests.

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"The problem was supposed to happen at No. 4" - Aakash Chopra lauds Shubman Gill and KL Rahul's performances in ENG vs IND 2025 series

KL Rahul (left) and Shubman Gill were unbeaten at Stumps on Day 4 of the Manchester Test. [P/C: Getty]

In the same video, Aakash Chopra noted that India should have had issues at No. 4 and the opening positions due to Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma's retirements. However, he pointed out that KL Rahul has made up for Rohit's absence.

"The problem was supposed to happen at No. 4 because Virat Kohli, who was the No. 4 batter, had left. Rohit Sharma was the opener, and he left. You felt the problems would be in those positions, but those spots have been filled. KL Rahul has not let us feel Rohit's absence at all. Yashasvi Jaiswal, we can keep aside this knock, but he has played very well throughout," he said.

The former India opener added that Shubman Gill has ensured that Kohli hasn't been missed at No. 4 either.

"You haven't felt Virat Kohli's absence at all at No. 4. Has any Asian scored more runs than this in SENA countries? He (Gill) is already on 78. Some of his shots were so beautiful. KL Rahul is also on 87, and he has already scored centuries in the first match and at Lord's," Chopra observed.

KL Rahul (87* off 210) and Shubman Gill (78* off 167) stitched together an unbroken 174-run third-wicket partnership after India were reduced to 0/2 on Day 4 of the Manchester Test. While Gill has amassed 697 runs at an average of 99.57 in the ongoing series, Rahul has aggregated 508 runs at an average of 72.57, with both playing their eighth innings.