KL Rahul and Hanuma Vihari are in consideration for England Tests after Shubman Gill's injury

Shubman Gill has been ruled out of the opening Test match, giving the Indian squad a setback even before the first ball was struck in their five-match Test series against England. This is a significant setback for the 21-year-old, who looked in great form while playing in the World Test Championship (WTC) final against New Zealand.

On the other hand, Team India has a backup option in KL Rahul and Mayank Agrawal. Apart from that, the team boasts Hanuma Vihari at number six, who is a specialist hitter. The management and skipper Virat Kohli have long praised Vihari's ability as a good hitter inseam and swing conditions. The right-handed hitter has opened in the past and could be a viable choice against James Anderson and Stuart Broad.

Given that Rahul is now regarded as India's middle-order batsman in white-ball cricket, Kohli and head coach Ravi Shastri may opt to keep him in that position and test Vihari at the top.

Certainly, Gill's injury at such a critical time has caused the management to rethink its strategy. With Agarwal as a possible replacement for Gill, the coach and captain may consider dropping Vihari or Rahul down the order. If they want to include both, Agarwal will be unable to return to the team.

Gill's injury has turned out to be a gift in disguise for the three players who have been yearning to get into the starting lineup. Meanwhile, the 21-year-old is gutted that he didn't have the chance to open the innings against England.