KL Rahul's composed hundred in the ongoing second unofficial test against England Lions will bring much relief to the India team management ahead of the five-test series in England.
Partnering with Yashasvi Jaiswal at the top of the batting order, Rahul produced a chanceless knock of 116 in Northampton on a lively track in overcast conditions on Friday.
India, under new captain Shubman Gill, have been left with gaping holes in their top order after opener Rohit Sharma and stalwart Virat Kohli quit test cricket last month.
While Rahul, who can bat practically anywhere in the lineup, is likely to succeed Rohit as Jaiswal's opening partner, either Gill or Karun Nair is likely to fill the void of Kohli at number four.
Nair, who played the last of his six tests in 2017, smashed a double hundred in the first unofficial test in Canterbury.
"We haven't really decided on the (batting order), we still have some time," Gill had said in his pre-departure press conference in Mumbai.
"We will be playing an intra-squad match and we will be having a 10-day camp in London. So we still have a little bit of time and I think we can decide on the batting order once we go there."
The five-test series begins in Leeds on 20 June.