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With Rohit Sharma calling it quits on his Test career, it is believed Virat Kohli is also contemplating retiring from the format. Reports suggest he has informed the BCCI he intends to retire from the longest format of the game prior to India's significant tour of England.

With a big tour on the horizon, the BCCI asked Kohli to reconsider his decision. However, there's no word on whether Kohli has responded to BCCI's request, which suggests Kohli is standing firm on his decision according to a source quoted in the Indian Express.

Kohli's form in Test cricket has certainly dipped and he hasn't averaged much more than 23 in his last 10 matches. His issue with balls outside the off-stump is concerning, specifically in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series in Australia. If Kohli decides to retire before the England series, India will need to search for a new No. 4 batter. Here are a few options that could slide into the spot if the veteran calls time in his Test career.

Karun Nair has been in great form in all formats on the domestic scene. He was picked up by Delhi Capitals in the IPL auction and after sitting out early in the season, he came off the bench to crunch 89 off the 40 balls he faced - nearly carrying Delhi past the Mumbai Indians that night. 

Then again, even though his performance in later IPL games dipped, his superb showing in the Ranji Trophy keeps him in the mix for England. He has played some county cricket too, which gives him familiarity with the conditions.

In the 2024-25 Ranji season, as part of the Elite Group, he finished fourth in the list of run-scorers with 863 runs at an average of 53.93, with four centuries and two fifties. With scores of 86 and 135 in the finals against Kerala, he was instrumental for Vidarbha for their third title.

Sai Sudharsan is a technically correct top-order batter also providing a strong option that has consistently played around his average in both IPL, and domestic cricket. Sai Sudharsan has a cool head and plays with clarity, which is how he separates himself from the other players.

He scored a century for India A before the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in an unofficial Test match, before joining Surrey in the County Championship which gave him some great experience in the English conditions. He is in serious form, and a strong candidate for the No. 4 position.

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Shubman Gill might serve as an option lower down the order. He is undoubtedly the future Test captain of India and he started with the job when he began his career as an opener and then shifted to it with a No. 3. He has shown he can play some good innings at No. 3 but he has not shown the ability to do it consistently.

Gill has also often struggled against the new ball when he has played overseas and has thrown his wicket away under pressure. Therefore, batting at No. 4 might be more comfortable for him after the ball has lost some of its nip and he can bat openly. If ever Kohli does retire, this switching of roles could be of mutual benefit for both Gill and the Team.