3 min readOct 18, 2026 03:15 PM ISTHardik Pandya was expected to return to action during the India A one-day games against Australia A in October. (PTI Photo)The absence of Hardik Pandya could be sorely felt for India throughout their five-match T20I series against the West Indies, which ended in a 2-2 draw after the fifth match in Bengaluru was washed out on Saturday. It was the first time since 2022 that India had failed to win a T20I series at home. Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar feels that India should stop looking for someone who can do the job that Pandya does during a game and instead shift their strategy when the ace all-rounder is not available.“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,” said Gavaskar on JioStar after the fifth T20I.Among the seniormost members of the team, Pandya has almost always delivered with both bat and ball whenever he has played for India in recent years. However, his fitness has been a headache as India step up their build-up towards the 2027 World Cup. A new shin injury ruled him out of the series against Australia last year, and he has not played an ODI since the Champions Trophy. Since then, India have fretted over balance, weighing an extra batsman against an extra bowler. The old flaw persists: none of India’s batsmen bowl, and among the bowlers guaranteed a start, only Ravindra Jadeja bats.Gavaskar cited Naman Dhir as an example of a player who could fulfil a different role, pointing to the young batter’s contribution with both bat and ball.“Naman Dhir is doing that job. He’s bowling his overs well, and look at the way he batted in this game,” he said, referring to Dhir’s unbeaten six-ball 24 in the rain-hit series decider, in which only 7.4 overs of play were possible.“The takeaway from the series is that, in their bowling, they have to play with at least four regular bowlers. A fifth bowler and a sixth can be your all-rounders, somebody who can bat as well. Somebody like a Naman Dhir, who’s more of a batter but who can come in and bowl two or three overs. Axar Patel, who can bowl his four overs,” said Gavaskar.© IE Online Media Services Pvt LtdStay updated with the latest sports news across Cricket, Football, Chess, and more. Catch all the action with real-time live cricket score updates and in-depth coverage of ongoing matches.Tags:Sunil GavaskarAdvertisementLoading Recommendations...AdvertisementLive BlogJailer 2 Box Office Collection Day 3 Updates: Rajinikanth’s film set to cross Rs 400 crore mark; Nelson thanks audience34 minutes agoIndia News Live Updates, 18 October 2026: Ahmedabad-Hyderabad flight bomb threat turns out to be minor girl’s prank38 minutes agoWorld Live News Updates: Iranian parliament approves Mehrdad Akhlaqi as new Defence Minister 40 minutes agoKolkata Durga Puja Stampede Live Updates: Out of 25 injured, 2 in ICU but ‘not under threat’, says Suvendu Adhikari1 hour agoIndia News Highlights, 17 October 2026: Bus to religious tour falls in drain, kills 8; MP CM announces compensation19 hours agoAdvertisement