Three players of who can permanently replace Cheteshwar Pujara at number three

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The winds of change are expected to start blowing in Indian cricket sooner than later. India's new World Test Championship 2023-25 cycle will begin with their first Test match against West Indies from July 12. The ageing Indian Test team will sooner or later need an overhaul.

With the next WTC final in 2025, looking for a perfect replacement for 35-year-old Cheteshwar Pujara, who has played 103 Tests for India, will become a must. The batter has long served India at number three, however, dip in his form has started to hurt the team now.

The 35-year-old hasn't scored a hundred in his last 28 Tests (52 innings) and scored runs at an average of 29.69 since 2020. The Saurashtra star was dropped in 2022 before he made a comeback and scored 90 and 102 not out runs against Bangladesh in the Chittagong Test in December. Once these two scores are removed, Pujara's average drops to 26.31

Here are three batters who can replace Cheteshwar Pujara at number three

Hanuma Vihari: At 29 years of age, the Andhra Pradesh has the capability to become the perfect long-term replacement for Pujara. Vihari has got the technique and the temperament to stay for long hours in the middle.

His unbeaten 23 runs off 161 balls while batting with strapped right hamstring to draw the Sydney Test against Australia January 2021 will go down as one of the biggest acts of defiance in the history of cricket.

The right-hand batter has played a total of 113 first class matches and scored 8600 runs at an average of 53.41.

Ruturaj Gaikwad: The right-hand batter opens for Maharashtra in the domestic circuit but many players have changed their batting positions after being inducted in the Indian team. The face of Test cricket is changing and the red-ball format is now being played with more of a white-ball approach.

A balance between attack and defence could be the new philosophy going forward and Ruturaj Gaikwad will be the ideal candidate to execute the plan. He has always been a top-order batter and under the guidance of Rahul Dravid, Gaikwad can become a fine India Test batter at number three.

Gaikwad, who was initially named in the stand-by list of India's WTC final squad, has played 28 first-class matches and scored 1941 runs at an average of 42.19. Gill has already settled in the opening spot and Yashasvi Jaiswal could accompany him in the future.

Virat Kohli bats at number four and the fifth spot would most probably be grabbed by Shreyas Iyer and Ajinkya Rahane. In this case, the talented batter would have to make a name for himself at number three.

Shreyas Iyer: In case Ajinkya Rahane continued his red hot form in the West Indies and prolong his Test career, Shreyas Iyer could also be pushed ahead of Kohli at three.

The classy batter is out with injury and Rahane was named as his replacement. He will very likely be named in the India squad for the South Africa series and if Rahane also boards the flight, the management may try the experiment of playing Shreyas Iyer at Pujara's number three spot.

The 28-year-old has played 65 first-class matches and scored 5366 runs at an average of 51.10. His start to the Test career has also been fine. The Mumbai batter has scored 666 runs in 10 matches at an average of 44.40.

Watching Gaikwad and Iyer bat at number three, might look strange initially but that is how it is in the beginning before one gets used to the change.