Ex-India Star Questions Gautam Gambhir's All-Rounder Strategy
Subramaniam Badrinath has questioned Gautam Gambhir's push for all-rounders after Harshit Rana's latest injury ruled him out of India's upcoming assignments.
Former India batter Subramaniam Badrinath has questioned Gautam Gambhir's continued emphasis on developing all-rounders, arguing that the approach could be influencing selection decisions despite fitness concerns. He said India are yet to find a proven all-rounder capable of replacing the impact Hardik Pandya has provided.
Badrinath pointed to Washington Sundar, Nitish Kumar Reddy and Harshit Rana as examples of players being backed for their multi-skilled abilities. He suggested the team management has been particularly keen to develop Rana as an all-rounder, despite his injury problems.
His comments came into focus after Rana suffered a fresh rectus femoris strain during a match simulation and was ruled out of India's upcoming assignments. Yash Thakur was subsequently named as his replacement, while Jasprit Bumrah, Sundar and Reddy were cleared to play.
Gambhir's strategy has increasingly prioritised players capable of contributing in multiple areas, allowing India to field additional bowling options while extending their batting depth. Washington, Nitish, Shivam Dube and Axar Patel have all featured in this approach.
India will begin their three-match T20I series against Afghanistan on September 13, with Shreyas Iyer leading the side. The same group will also form the core of India's squad for the 2026 Asian Games, where the team will defend its title.
