India is in the early innings of its next era. And though the shoes of Rohit and Virat seem massive now, every size eventually finds its match. Not by copying the past, but by earning the right to walk into the future. The question that arises is, who can earn Virat’s and Rohit’s position and build a reputation as theirs?
Can Shubman Gill Fill the Void Left by Virat Kohli?
Statistically? Not quite yet. Spiritually? Perhaps.
Shubman Gill never walked out to bat at 8/2 in Johannesburg or on a cracked Day 5 pitch at the Gabba with the crowd roaring and the ball spitting off a length. He hasn’t faced the full storm yet, the kind that forged Virat Kohli into India’s modern colossus. And with a Test average still lingering under 35 after 26 matches, the statistical case for his succession isn’t airtight. But sometimes, succession in cricket is not just about numbers, it’s about the feel.
In Gill’s stance, there’s a poise that invites comparison. In his compact technique, feather-light trigger movement, and ability to play late, there’s a whisper of Virat’s control. But it’s the intangibl e,his composure, that makes people believe. There’s no visible panic when he edges one, no flamboyant reaction when he drives another.
Now, when India’s next phase begins, Gill isn’t just expected to bat at No. 4. He is expected to own that number. It’s a slot that demands more than runs, it demands responsibility. Kohli didn’t just bat at 4; he carried India’s fight on foreign shores, fought spells, won sessions, and sometimes changed series. That weight now slowly shifts to Gill. And, Gill has been batting at number 3, taking the charge in Pujara’s absence, it would be difficult to shift his position, but never impossible, if he chooses to.
Yet, the real test for Gill lies ahead. Can he hold the fort when the ball seems in Lord’s gloom? Can he grind through Pat Cummins’ morning burst at the MCG or stare down Rabada in Centurion with the scoreboard reading 10 for 2?
The questions are many, the expectations massive. But if India needs a bridge between generations, between artistry and steel, Gill may be the man to build it. Not as a Kohli replica, but as his natural successor: calm, modern, and quietly hungry.
Is Yashasvi Jaiswal the Inheritor of Rohit Sharma’s Legacy?
Rohit’s Test batting has always been a blend of brute timing and calculated composure. Whether it was a patient 161 on a square-turner in Chennai against England or a gritty 127 at The Oval with India reeling early, Rohit mastered the art of adapting without losing flair. He didn’t just open the batting, he redefined it in Indian conditions and proved himself abroad. That’s who Rohit was in whites: unpredictable in his stroke range, yet irreplaceable for the control he brought at the top.
Yashasvi Jaiswal, though just a few Tests into his career, already feels like a kindred spirit to India’s great openers, not because he mimics them, but because he carries the same grit laced with flair. His domination of England in the 2024 home series, including a breathtaking double century, wasn’t just a statistical milestone; it was a statement. It showed that opening in Test cricket is no longer a passive, defensive obligation. It’s a trial by fire, and Jaiswal has walked into that blaze head-on.
What sets him apart is not just his ability to score big, but to do it with intent and control. He sweeps spinners like Sehwag once did and leaves pace like a veteran, but it’s his hunger that stands out most. During the high-stakes Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024, Jaiswal looked solid even in challenging conditions. Though the series was tightly contested, and though the likes of Cummins and Hazlewood kept peppering him with pace and pressure, he didn’t wilt. There were verbal battles, constant chatter around the bat, short balls aimed at the ribs, but Jaiswal didn’t flinch. If anything, he thrived under that tension.
That kind of temperament, thriving when the heat rises, is what once defined Rohit Sharma’s rebirth as a Test opener. The difference is, Rohit arrived at the top of the order later in his career. Jaiswal, in contrast, is being forged in fire from the start. He’s yet to be fully tested by the moving ball in England, the trampoline bounce of Perth, or the mental grind of South African tours, but if his early signs are anything to go by, the foundation is strong.
Can he survive those coming storms? That remains to be seen. But you get the sense that he won’t just survive, he’ll try to dominate, smile through the noise, and leave his own mark.
Transition Is a Test of Patience And Character
Replacing legends isn’t about mimicking them, it’s about absorbing the essence of what they stood for. Kohli stood for fight, fire, and unmatched fitness. Rohit stood for flair, rhythm, and unnerving calm. In Gill and Jaiswal, India may have found cricketers who don’t replicate those traits, but reinterpret them.
But here’s the question: Will Indian cricket, media, and fans give these players the room to fail, adjust, and evolve? Will we allow Gill a lean year, the way Kohli was allowed in 2014? Will we let Jaiswal go through technical tinkering without calling for his replacement?
