Former Indian cricketer and commentator Sunil Gavaskar advised the Indian team management to opt for four specialist bowlers in the Indian T20I playing XI instead of going for batting depth till No.8.
Speaking to the broadcaster after the five-match T20I series against the West Indies in Bengaluru, Gavaskar reckoned that it made little sense for India to play with eight batters, weakening their bowling attack.
Team India opted to play with only three specialist bowlers for the majority of the T20I series. Mayank Yadav, Arshdeep Singh and Prince Yadav were the full-time bowlers in the fourth T20I. In the Bengaluru T20I that was washed out, India went with Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Arshdeep Singh and Prince Yadav as their only specialist bowlers.
“India have to play with at least 4 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 need to do,” Gavaskar said on the broadcast.
“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.
It’s important to note that India have strongly relied on T20 specialists throughout the Indian head coach Gautam Gambhir’s tenure. In the T20 World Cup 2026 semi-final against England, India went on to score 253 in Mumbai before defending the total by seven runs. Later in the grand finale, India went on to score 255 runs against New Zealand and thumped the opposition with only three specialist bowling options.
