Former BCCI chief selector Kris Srikkanth argued that the Indian team currently lacks a genuine replacement for Hardik Pandya, identifying Nitish Kumar Reddy as the only player who qualifies as a "half all-rounder".

Srikkanth strongly dismissed other prominent contenders like Shivam Dube and Harshit Rana, arguing they fail to meet the tactical demands required to balance the team.

“Players like Dube and Harshit Rana can’t be called all-rounders. Then I can call myself a great all-rounder if these two are called that. Hardik Pandya is the only genuine all-rounder. Nitish Kumar Reddy is a half all-rounder, who can bat at No.7 and bowl a few overs," Srikkanth said on Star Sports.

Dube filled in as India’s primary seam-bowling all-rounder during the recently held ODI series against England, with Hardik, Harshit and Nitish unavailable due to injuries. He claimed two wickets in as many matches at an economy rate of less than 5, but was dismissed for a golden duck in his only innings with the bat.

Srikkanth also advocated for Ravindra Jadeja's inclusion in India's roadmap for the 2027 ODI World Cup. His suggestion comes amid Jadeja’s recent absence from India's ODI assignments against Afghanistan and England, where the call-up of Harsh Dubey indicated a clear youth-centric shift by the selectors.

Since Jadeja has only retired from T20Is and remains active in longer formats, Srikkanth believes sidelining him entirely from ODIs is premature. He highlighted the veteran all-rounder’s stellar performance in the 2023 World Cup, calling him a "silent killer" who consistently delivers under pressure.

“I am not sure why Ravindra Jadeja has been totally let go. He only did brilliantly in the 2023 World Cup. He is a silent killer. It’s not like he has announced retirement in ODIs. Yet, he doesn’t play ODIs at all and rarely plays in Tests despite producing match-winning performances when he does. I still believe Jadeja should be in the scheme of things and in the squad if he performs well," he remarked.