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.