Sunil Gavaskar says Hardik Pandya is irreplaceable and backs Naman Dhir as a different all-round option for India after the 2-2 T20I series against West Indies.
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‘Hardik Pandya is irreplaceable’, but Sunil Gavaskar backs Naman Dhir as backup all-round option (Photo: BCCI/X)
India and West Indies shared the five-match T20I series after rain washed out the deciding match in Bengaluru, with the contest ending 2-2Only 7.4 overs of play were possible in the final game, leaving both teams without a chance to settle the series on the field.
After the series, former India cricketers Sunil Gavaskar, Abhishek Nayar and Aakash Chopra discussed the key lessons for the Indian teamGavaskar highlighted Naman Dhir’s growing value as an all-rounder, while Nayar praised both teams for their performancesChopra, meanwhile, explained why Abhishek Sharma’s inconsistent run was not a major concern.
Sunil Gavaskar says India need four regular bowlers
Gavaskar believes India should focus on maintaining a strong bowling attack instead of trying to find a direct replacement for Hardik PandyaHe said the team could use players such as Naman Dhir and Axar Patel to provide extra options without weakening the bowling unit.
“We didn’t get to see the bowlingIt would have been interesting to see how the Indians bowled in this nine-over gameThe takeaway from the series is that, in their bowling, they have to play with at least four regular bowlersA fifth bowler and a sixth can be your all-rounders, somebody who can bat as well.”
Gavaskar also stressed that replacing Hardik with a player of similar ability may not be possible.
“Hardik Pandya is irreplaceableIf you can’t find somebody of his calibre, then go with somebody who will do a slightly different jobNaman Dhir is doing that jobHe’s bowling his overs well, and look at the way he batted in this game.”
He warned that picking too many batting options could leave India short of reliable bowlers.
Abhishek Nayar calls 2-2 a fair result
Nayar felt the series deserved to end in a draw because both sides produced strong performancesHe also pointed out that it would have been unfair to decide the trophy through a shortened game.
“Just looking at how this series has panned out, I feel it deserves to be 2-2 in a lot of ways because both teams played really good cricket.”
He added that West Indies deserved credit for challenging India on their home ground.
“The West Indies should be proud because when they came in, it felt like India would easily beat them.”
Aakash Chopra defends Abhishek Sharma
Chopra said Abhishek was below his usual standard during the series but warned against expecting consistent big scores from an aggressive batter.
“That he will keep getting runs consistently, that is our misconception.”
Chopra explained that a player who attacks at a strike rate of around 200 will naturally have some quiet matchesHe said Abhishek’s recent performances should be viewed in that context rather than judged too harshly.
With the series ending 2-2, India have useful lessons to take forward, particularly around their bowling balance and the role of all-rounders such as Naman Dhir.
