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'Shubman Gill And..,' RCB's IPL Great Names Ideal Replacements For Pujara And Rahane

Shubman Gill in action [X]Shubman Gill in action [X]

Former Indian cricketer Dinesh Karthik believes young batters Shubman Gill and Sarfaraz Khan have the potential to replace Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane in the Test series against Australia later this year. After leading India to numerous memorable victories, Pujara and Rahane were sidelined from the Test setup owing to their inconsistency and poor batting form. 

Meanwhile, Shubman Gill and Sarfaraz Khan capitalised on the opportunities, finding a place in India's first-choice playing XI ahead of their competitors. Gill has been a vital cog in the Indian side across formats, while Sarfaraz got a well-deserved call-up for the England series on home soil. 

Karthik, who will serve as RCB's mentor and batting coach in IPL 2025, reckoned that although replacing the experienced duo of Pujara and Rahane would be tough, Gill and Sarfaraz could fill the big shoes, thanks to their ability to perform across conditions. 

"Shubman Gill and Sarfaraz Khan. Both of those batters have done well against England in the home series that recently happened at the start of the year. I have a feeling both of them will be on that flight to Australia and will be trying to do their best. We will know if they’re able to replace both Ajinkya and Pujji (Pujara). Big shoes to fill, but they have the quality and calibre in them," Karthik stated. 

Gill and Sarfaraz's role in Indian Test team

While Gill bats at number three, Sarfaraz ensures dynamism at number five in India's Test setup. Since making his debut, the work-horse from Mumbai has been a threat to Shreyas Iyer's place in the squad. Regarding Gill, the Punjab batter is expected to bring his A-game in Australia, having previously played a match-winning knock in the historic Brisbane Test.