Not a fan of 8 Tests, Sunil Gavaskar wants urgent change in India’s T20I squad

India drew their five-match T20I series against the West Indies after the Bengaluru decider was washed out due to rain on Sunday, October 17. Speaking after leaving the fifth T20I, Shreyas Iyer criticized India’s poor bowling in the series and stated that the outcome of the contest could have been different if they had bowled better.

Poor lengths marred India’s bowling performance in almost every match as the West Indies scored more than 200 runs in three of the four innings they batted in during the series. Former cricketer Sunil Gavaskar claimed that there was no point for India to play with eight batsmen as it weakened the team’s bowling attack.

“It could have been different considering we would have bowled better in the second and fourth matches. Credit where it’s due, they batted well. The way (Shai) Hope batted the whole series,” Shreyas said after the T20I final.

HOW MANY BOWLERS DO INDIA PLAY?

Shreyas Iyer’s Indian team opted to play only three special bowlers for most of the series. Mayank Yadav, Arshdeep Singh and Prince Yadav were the full-timers when West Indies last batted in the series, during the fourth T20I.

They were supported by an army of all-rounders, with Nitish Reddy, Axar Patel and Naman Dhir giving India a total of six bowling options.

Of course, the combination choice affected India’s bowling depth and allowed the West Indies batsmen to run amok. Shai Hope’s side scored over 240 runs in two separate matches to draw the five-match series 2-2.

India vs West Indies 5th T20I: MAIN | SCORECARD

Gavaskar suggested that India opt for four specialist bowlers in their line-up, backed by two all-rounders. The former cricketer said that Axar and Naman Dhir could complete the bowling specialist four, giving India more depth in their bowling attack.

He also argued that India should not get carried away in finding a similar replacement for Hardik Pandya.

“India need to play at least 4 regular bowlers and 5 and 6 bowling all-rounders who can also bat, maybe Axar Patel and Naman Dhir. I think sometimes we get carried away when we look for a replacement for Hardik Pandya. Hardik is irreplaceable. If you can’t find someone of his calibre, then go with someone who will do what Nahir will do another job.” do,” Gavaskar said on air.

“Axar Patel is your fifth regular bowler. When you bat to 8, you weaken your bowling and that’s where you get beaten,” he added.

GAVASKAR’S ARGUMENT IS FLAWED

While Gavaskar’s argument is valid, it must be noted that India have relied on T20 specialists throughout Gautam Gambhir’s tenure, giving them an edge over other teams in the world. The use of specialists allowed India to maintain a long batting line-up, essentially helping their slam-bang approach to high-risk, high-reward cricket.

The best example of this approach came in the 2026 FIFA World Cup T20 semi-final against England, where India scored 253 in Mumbai before defending the total by seven points in an absolute thriller.

While England ousted India in the semi-finals, the hosts dominated the final against New Zealand, scoring 255 runs. Such a total would be difficult to achieve if India opted for four specialty bowlers and two all-rounders.

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