Sunil Gavaskar has said that Hardik Pandya is irreplaceable and advised India to stop searching for a direct substitute. Instead, he recommended that the team field a player who can perform a slightly different role and strengthen the bowling unit. Pandya continues his recovery from injury and was not part of India's squad for the T20I series against West Indies.
The series ended in a 2-2 draw after the fifth and final T20I in Bengaluru was washed out on October 17 2026. Gavaskar's broader argument was that India should prioritise bowling resources rather than chase a like-for-like Pandya replacement. He recommended that the side field at least four specialist bowlers, with all-rounders filling the fifth and sixth bowling slots within the team structure.
"We sometimes get a little bit carried away with trying to find a replacement for Hardik Pandya. Hardik Pandya is irreplaceable. If you can't find somebody of his calibre, then go with somebody who will do a slightly different job," Gavaskar said on JioStar.
Why did Gavaskar single out Naman Dhir for praise?
Gavaskar drew attention to Naman Dhir as a player whose contributions across both disciplines make him a practical fit for the role India need filled. In the rain-hit fifth T20I in Bengaluru, Dhir demonstrated his batting value by striking an unbeaten 24 off just six balls before the match was called off, underlining the kind of impact lower-order hitting India can rely on in his absence of a Pandya-like finisher.
"Naman Dhir is doing that job. He's bowling his overs well, and look at the way he batted in this game," Gavaskar said.
The assessment reinforced his view that India do not need a carbon copy of Pandya but can instead rely on players who contribute meaningfully across both disciplines in their own way.
What bowling structure did Gavaskar recommend for India?
Alongside Dhir, Gavaskar also mentioned Axar Patel as an all-rounder capable of reliably bowling his four overs in T20I cricket. His central concern was that loading the batting order too deep would leave India short of bowling options and ultimately cost them matches in close contests.
"The moment you go with batting up to number eight, you weaken your bowling, and that's where you get beaten," Gavaskar said.
His preferred structure pairs four specialist bowlers with all-rounders such as Dhir and Axar, giving India adequate bowling cover without depending on any single player to replicate what Pandya brings to the side.
