India's No.3 crisis unsolved since Pujara: Gandhi urges longer run for next man
Synopsis
Seven batters. Zero solutions. India's number three crisis in Tests has outlasted Pujara's retirement and a 2-0 home series loss to South Africa — and it still isn't fixed. Former selector Devang Gandhi's call for a four-to-five match commitment to whoever is picked next is as much an indictment of the team management's revolving-door approach as it is a prescription.
Key Takeaways
Seven batters have been trialled at number three since Cheteshwar Pujara's exit, with none cementing the spot.
Former selector Devang Gandhi urged team management to give the next incumbent at least four to five Tests to settle in.
Sai Sudharsan is likely to sit out; Devdutt Padikkal , with prolific domestic form, is firmly in contention for the role.
Shubman Gill scored 700 runs on his first England tour as Test captain, drawing praise for his steady leadership evolution.
Pacer Gurnoor Brar was preferred over Auqib Nabi (who took 60 Ranji Trophy wickets ) on the basis of physical attributes and an 'X-factor', according to Gandhi.
Left-arm spinners Harsh Dubey and Manav Suthar were included as part of long-term succession planning beyond Ravindra Jadeja .
India's number three batting slot — the most unsettled position in the Test line-up — remains unresolved heading into the one-off Test against Afghanistan in New Chandigarh, with former national selector Devang Gandhi warning that the problem has festered since Cheteshwar Pujara's exit and urging the team management to give the next incumbent a sustained run of at least four to five matches.
Seven Batters, Zero Solutions
Since Pujara vacated the number three spot, as many as seven batters have been trialled at one-drop without any of them nailing it down. Shubman Gill had the longest stint before moving up the order after taking over as Test captain. In his absence, Sai Sudharsan, Washington Sundar, Dhruv Jurel, and Devdutt Padikkal have all had turns at the position.
The 2-0 series loss to South Africa at home exposed the fragility most starkly. Sundar was thrust into the role on a raging turner at Eden Gardens, only to be dropped back down following India's collapse. Sudharsan returned for the Guwahati Test but has yet to make the spot his own.
Gandhi's Verdict on Sudharsan and Padikkal
'See, in all fairness, Sai has had a fair run. He played in England and thereafter in India as well. Unfortunately, he didn't grab those chances. So, I think he will probably have to sit out of this Test match,' Gandhi said in an exclusive conversation on Friday.
Gandhi backed an in-form Padikkal — who has played just two Tests but reached fifty once — to get a genuine opportunity. 'Whoever they have identified, they need to give him a longer run — give him at least four or five Test matches to prove himself. It's not an easy spot to bat, especially number three. It requires sound technique and temperament,' he added.
Gill's Growth as Captain Draws Praise
Gandhi was effusive about Shubman Gill's evolution as Test skipper, pointing to his 700 runs on his first tour of England as captain as a landmark. 'There has been a steady growth as far as his captaincy is concerned... He lends that balance and brings that calmness to the table, which I think is very important,' Gandhi said.
Spin Succession and the Jadeja Question
The inclusion of left-arm spinners Harsh Dubey and Manav Suthar in the Test squad has drawn considerable attention. Gandhi acknowledged that all-round ability has become a key selection parameter, particularly as the team plans for life beyond Ravindra Jadeja. 'Jadeja has served for a very long time. But if you look ahead, we definitely are looking for spinners — and it helps if you are able to bat,' he noted.
Brar Over Nabi: X-Factor Wins
On the selection of tall right-arm pacer Gurnoor Brar over Jammu and Kashmir's Auqib Nabi — who claimed 60 wickets in a victorious Ranji Trophy campaign — Gandhi said physical attributes and an 'X-factor' sometimes tip the scales. 'He has the height going for him. So that is why he may have been preferred over Auqib,' he said, adding that Nabi would likely be routed through the India A side, including two multi-day games in Galle, Sri Lanka.
Gandhi also suggested that a green surface in Chandigarh could hand Brar his Test debut, and that the match would double as a preparation window ahead of the New Zealand series. He signed off by underlining the strength of India's domestic pipeline — from the Ranji Trophy and Duleep Trophy through to India A — as a systematic process that continues to supply the senior side with battle-tested talent.
Point of View
And India still cannot name a settled number three — that is not a selection puzzle, it is a structural failure of planning. The revolving door at one-drop reflects a deeper reluctance to absorb short-term pain for long-term stability, the same instinct that once kept Pujara in the side past his best and now leaves his replacement in perpetual audition mode. Gandhi's call for four to five Tests of continuity is correct, but it requires the team management to resist the pressure of results in a single series — something that has proven difficult. The Afghanistan Test offers a low-stakes window to commit; the question is whether the selectors use it that way or treat it as yet another trial.
NationPress
5 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is India's number three batting position such a problem?
India's number three slot has been unsettled since Cheteshwar Pujara's exit from Test cricket, with seven different batters trialled at the position without any of them making it their own. The 2-0 home series loss to South Africa exposed the instability most sharply, when Washington Sundar was pushed into the role mid-series and then dropped after India's collapse.
Who is likely to bat at number three for India against Afghanistan?
Both Sai Sudharsan and Devdutt Padikkal are in contention for the number three slot against Afghanistan in New Chandigarh. Former selector Devang Gandhi suggested Sudharsan may sit out after failing to convert his chances in England and at home, while backing the in-form Padikkal to get a fair run.
What did Devang Gandhi say about Shubman Gill's captaincy?
Gandhi praised Gill's steady growth as Test captain, highlighting his 700 runs on his first England tour as skipper as a standout marker. He noted that Gill brings calmness and balance to the side, and pointed to his IPL captaincy record as further evidence of his evolving leadership.
Why was Gurnoor Brar selected over Auqib Nabi despite Nabi's 60 Ranji Trophy wickets?
According to Gandhi, Brar's physical attributes — particularly his height — and an 'X-factor' identified by selectors tipped the decision in his favour. Gandhi acknowledged that domestic performances are rewarded but noted that selectors sometimes fast-track players with specific attributes, and that Nabi is expected to be routed through the India A side.
Why are Harsh Dubey and Manav Suthar included in India's Test squad?
Both left-arm spinners were included as part of India's long-term succession planning, with all-round batting ability becoming a key selection criterion. Gandhi indicated that the team is actively looking for spinners who can also contribute with the bat, particularly as it plans for the future beyond Ravindra Jadeja.
