Sunil Gavaskar advises Team India to stop looking for a direct replacement for the irreplaceable Hardik Pandya.
He urges the team to find players capable of fulfilling different tactical roles instead.
Gavaskar recommends fielding a playing XI with at least four specialist bowlers to maintain a balanced attack.
Hardik Pandya has been a key player for India's men's cricket team. An all-rounder who can find his place in any playing XI based on his skill and the kind of balance he provides, his absence creates a big headache for Team India as he is a player who is difficult to replace.
Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar advised the Men in Blue to stop searching for a direct replacement for Hardik Pandya, noting that he is irreplaceable and brings a unique set of skills that are hard to replicate.
Gavaskar advised India to find players who can perform different roles while maintaining a strong bowling and batting attack.
His comments come after India and the West Indies shared the T20I series 2–2, as the decider in Bengaluru was washed out on Saturday while Hardik Pandya continues his recovery.
Gavaskar suggested that India field a playing XI consisting of at least four specialist bowlers.
"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.
He pointed to Naman Dhir as an example of a player who can contribute with both bat and ball. Dhir scored an unbeaten 24 off just six balls in the rain-hit final T20I.
"Naman Dhir is doing that job. He's bowling his overs well, and look at the way he batted in this game," he said.
"The moment you go with batting up to number eight, you weaken your bowling, and that's where you get beaten," he added.
