Former India opener Wasim Jaffer has said that young seam-bowling all-rounders such as Nitish Kumar Reddy and Suryansh Shedge are not yet capable of replicating Hardik Pandya’s value with the ball. Jaffer’s comments came after India’s 0-2 T20I series defeat to Ireland, where the absence of a genuine pace-bowling all-rounder was once again exposed.

Looking ahead to India’s five-match T20I series against England, Jaffer urged the batting unit and the frontline pacers to take greater responsibility and help fill the void left by Hardik, who is currently recovering from a quadriceps injury at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru. In Jaffer’s view, India miss not just Hardik’s overs with the ball, but also the balance he provides as a finisher.

“We have seen Hardik taking the new ball at times. He gives you at least three overs and plays the role of a finisher. That cog is missing. You are playing Suryansh, but at the moment, he doesn’t have the ability to bowl 3-4 overs. Even Nitish. They are not in that calibre at the moment. So definitely India is missing Hardik. I feel the fast bowlers will have to step up, and the batters will also have to cover for this and outbat the opposition,” Wasim Jaffer said on his YouTube channel.

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While India’s batting unit came in for criticism after the Ireland series, Jaffer did highlight a few positives from the two-match contest. He praised Harshit Rana for his improved all-around game and also singled out Prince Yadav, who picked up three wickets on his T20I debut in the series decider.

“Harshit bowled well on his comeback, and he batted well too. You can see the improvement in him, and it is visible. You can trust him with the bat at number eight and nine. He has been successful and the positive in these two games without a doubt. Prince also used his opportunity well,” he added.

Even so, Jaffer warned that England will present a much bigger challenge than Ireland. He said the hosts will sense an opportunity after India’s recent struggles, especially with Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik both unavailable. According to Jaffer, those absences leave India short of experience and balance, making the England series a far tougher test for Shreyas Iyer and his side.

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“England will definitely be a tougher challenge. After the Ireland series, England will also believe that they can beat India. There are loopholes as there is no Bumrah and Hardik. Two important players. Somebody else has to fill those shoes. I hope India start to play at their best after this wake-up call,” Wasim Jaffer said.