Former Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan has urged selectors to fast-track Yash Raj Punja after the T20I series loss against England. Punja recently played his maiden IPL season for Rajasthan Royals and impressed one and all with his skills.

The leg-spinner scalped nine wickets in eight matches of IPL 2026 at an average of 31 and an economy rate of 9.30. Punja was brave enough to pitch the ball up to the batters when even he was taken for runs.

Pathan noted that India struggles to get going when Varun Chakravarthy wrestles with his form. Chakravarthy could only take a solitary wicket in three matches of the series against England at an average of 72.

“As soon as Varun has struggled with his form, India have struggled. We saw it in the World Cup as well. He plays an important role and you need another bowler like him. I think you need a bowler who can do something in the game. I will just put a name forward for now, someone like Yash Raj Punja. He is not ready at the moment. But I feel India should start the process of preparing a bowler like him,” Irfan Pathan said on his YouTube channel.

Pathan also insisted that India should prepare more bowlers who can fill the big shoes of Jasprit Bumrah in his absence.

“If there is no Bumrah, no bowler will be born to replace him just like that. You will not get a player like him. But what he does, you need someone who can do the same thing. Who can bowl in all phases. Not one, you need to prepare two bowlers like him. You do have options, but the thinking should be to get someone who can bowl in all phases. If you cannot get someone like Bumrah, then you need a spinner who can not only keep the batters quiet in the middle overs but also pick wickets,” Irfan Pathan reflected.

India and England will next take on each other in a three-match ODI series, starting Tuesday at Edgbaston, Birmingham.