Former India opener Aakash Chopra has revealed his picks for the next-generation ‘Fab Four’ of world cricket, with Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal featuring prominently on his list. The discussion comes as the careers of Virat Kohli, Steve Smith, Joe Root and Kane Williamson enter their final stages. For several years, Kohli, Smith, Root and Williamson dominated international cricket with their consistency and remarkable batting records.
The term ‘Fab Four’, popularised by former New Zealand captain Martin Crowe, became synonymous with the quartet and their influence across formats. With all four now well into their thirties, their eventual international retirements will mark the end of a significant era. That has naturally led to debate over which players could form the next ‘Fab Four’ in world cricket.
Chopra, speaking via CREX, named four batters he believes have the potential to carry that legacy forward. Two of his selections are Indian stars — Test and ODI captain Shubman Gill and young opener Yashasvi Jaiswal.
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Gill’s inclusion is hardly surprising considering his performances across formats. Since taking over as India’s captain, the right-hander has continued to produce impressive numbers, particularly in Test and ODI cricket. Although he is currently not part of India’s T20I setup, Gill enjoyed another productive campaign with Gujarat Titans in IPL 2026.
Since the beginning of last year, Gill has scored 2,525 runs across the three international formats at an average of almost 55. His tally also includes nine centuries, underlining his consistency at the highest level. Jaiswal, however, represents a more intriguing selection. The left-handed opener has already produced impressive numbers in international cricket but has played a relatively limited role in India’s white-ball teams, particularly in ODIs and T20Is.
Jaiswal has accumulated 1,131 runs in 19 international matches across formats at an average of almost 42, including five centuries. His international career currently includes 31 Tests, six ODIs and 23 T20Is. For the remaining two places, Chopra selected England’s white-ball captain Harry Brook and New Zealand top-order batter Rachin Ravindra.
Brook has established himself as one of the few modern batters capable of making a significant impact across all three formats. Since the start of 2025, he has scored 2,745 runs in 66 international matches at an average of almost 40 and a strike rate of 104.85, including five centuries.
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Ravindra, meanwhile, has already demonstrated his class in Test and ODI cricket. The New Zealand batter has an average of more than 40 across 63 matches in the two formats. However, his recent performances in T20 cricket have been less consistent.
Chopra’s four selections — Gill, Jaiswal, Brook and Ravindra — combine established international performances with significant long-term potential. Whether they eventually reach the level of Kohli, Smith, Root and Williamson remains to be seen, but all four have the credentials to become defining batters of the next generation.
