Gavaskar says Hardik Pandya is irreplaceable after West Indies series

Sunil Gavaskar said India should stop searching for a direct replacement for Hardik Pandya after the five-match T20I series against the West Indies ended in a 2-2 draw. The former India captain argued that the all-rounder remains irreplaceable and urged selectors to focus on building a balanced attack with four specialist bowlers instead.

Gavaskar praised Naman Dhir for fulfilling a different role, noting the batter's unbeaten 24 off six balls in the rain-shortened final match at Bengaluru. He recommended that all-rounders like Dhir and Axar Patel can contribute two to four overs each while maintaining depth in the batting order.

The abandoned decider denied India an opportunity to assess their bowling in the shortened contest, Gavaskar added. He warned that extending the batting line-up to number eight weakens the bowling attack and leaves the team vulnerable.