Former India wicketkeeper Deep Dasgupta believes the current Indian T20I side is in excellent shape heading into the upcoming T20 World Cup. Still, he admits there are a few concerns—primarily the lack of runs from captain Suryakumar Yadav and vice-captain Shubman Gill. While the team continues to win convincingly, Dasgupta feels both key batters would ideally want some confidence-boosting innings under their belts.

Speaking to PTI, Deep Dasgupta said the victory in Cuttack highlighted India’s depth and adaptability, especially on a surface where stroke-making wasn’t easy.

“The win last night showed how good India is, especially on a pitch that wasn’t a ‘watch the ball, hit the ball’ surface. It says a lot about their depth. As for SKY and Gill, I wouldn’t call it a major concern, but ideally you’d want them to get runs. Once you start thinking too much about runs, you stop batting freely,” he explained.

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Dasgupta also highlighted that Suryakumar hasn’t quite been at his explosive best since taking over the captaincy last year, a pattern that continues across multiple series.

The first T20I against South Africa reopened the long-running selection debate: How do India fit both Arshdeep Singh and Kuldeep Yadav into the XI while still maintaining batting depth up to number eight? In the UAE, Arshdeep—India’s leading wicket-taker—was surprisingly benched on turning tracks. Still, he made an immediate impact in Cuttack, dismissing a key South African batter with a beautiful outswinger.

His death-bowling prowess also remains unmatched in the format. However, accommodating Arshdeep meant leaving out Kuldeep Yadav, another proven match-winner. Kuldeep had been exceptional in the ODI series, taking wickets even in heavy dew—further strengthening his case for inclusion.

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“It is unfortunate to choose between Arshdeep and Kuldeep,” Deep Dasgupta admitted. “The way Arshdeep is bowling, you have to pick him. He’s your highest wicket-taker in the format. Ideally, you want both, but you can’t when you need batting till number eight.”

With the World Cup nearing, India’s selection puzzle is becoming increasingly intriguing—even for seasoned experts like Dasgupta.