Former Indian cricketer and commentator Sunil Gavaskar advised the Indian team management to include four specialist bowlers in the T20I playing XI rather than prioritising batting depth until No. 8.
Speaking to the broadcaster JioStar after the five-match T20I series against West Indies in Bengaluru, he questioned the strategy of fielding eight batters at the expense of bowling strength.
For the unversed, India relied on just three specialist bowlers for most of the series. Mayank Yadav, Arshdeep Singh and Prince Yadav formed the frontline bowling attack in the fourth T20I, while Bhuvneshwar Kumar replaced Mayank in the rain-abandoned Bengaluru fixture.
“India have to play with at least four regular bowlers, and a 5th and 6th bowling all-rounders who can bat as well, possibly Axar Patel and Naman Dhir. I think sometimes we get carried away trying to find a replacement for Hardik Pandya. Hardik is irreplaceable. If you cannot find someone of his calibre, then go with somebody who will do a different job. Naman Dhir is doing that job. I think that’s what India needs to do,” Gavaskar said on JioStar.
“Axar Patel is your fifth regular bowler. When you bat up to 8, you weaken your bowling, and that’s where you get beaten,” he added.
India have heavily relied on T20 specialists throughout Gautam Gambhir’s tenure as head coach. In the T20 World Cup 2026 semi-final against England, India posted a mammoth 253 in Mumbai before securing a seven-run victory.
They continued their dominant batting display in the final, scoring 255 against New Zealand and clinching the title despite fielding only three specialist bowlers. India is expected to continue with this strategy in the forthcoming T20I series against New Zealand.
