If three and four hold, a fifth can strike

India's New Fulcrum: Unlocking Possibilities Down the Order

India's first training session under the Leeds sun, began with a few loose shoulders and shared laughs, but it didn't take long for the mood to turn business-like. Karun Nair and Sai Sudharsan peeled off to the far end of the ground, starting their hit by taking turns against the spin of Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, and Washington Sundar.

The Middle-Order Conundrum

For the first time in a while, the question of who comes in at one-down doesn't have an obvious or immediate answer. Because for a quarter of a century, India have not had to wonder. No. 3 and No. 4 weren't just batting slots, they were pillars.

The Weight of the Past

Naturally, the weight of the past is heavy. But it is not Shubman Gill's to carry. Nor is it for Nair or Sudharsan to do so. They are not torchbearers of memory, but merely architects of what comes next.

The Challenge Ahead

The challenge for India now is to forge some solidity, to ensure that the spine of the batting line-up does not become a carousel. England may be the best place to begin again, where the pitches may start spicy but have flattened out to suit a faster, freer style all the way into the fourth innings of Tests.

Tactical Cause and Effect

If India's new fulcrum can hold firm and flourish, they unlock possibilities down the order. They give Rishabh Pant the freedom to be Rishabh Pant. They create room for the counterpunch. Stability at three and four doesn't just promise runs, it may give India the confidence to play five specialist bowlers again.

The True Value of Nos. 3 and 4

In many ways, the true value of Nos. 3 and 4 lies in what they unlock: a framework that allows the rest of the batting to breathe, and the bowling unit to operate at full strength. It ensures this Gambhir-Gill rebuilding project doesn't have to overcompensate, that the team can bowl to win because it bats with a measure of certainty.