New Delhi: Former India wicket-keeper Deep Dasgupta has flagged the need for better contributions from skipper Suryakumar Yadav and vice-captain Shubman Gill, even as he praised the overall strength and depth of the Indian men’s cricket team. While not describing their form as a major concern, Dasgupta emphasized that consistent runs from both players would enhance the team’s balance and flexibility ahead of the T20 World Cup.
Speaking after India’s recent win in Cuttack, Dasgupta noted that the victory highlighted the squad’s resilience, particularly on challenging surfaces. He observed that Suryakumar, who took over captaincy last year, has yet to display his best form consistently, and Gill would benefit from converting starts into match-defining contributions. “One you start thinking about runs, the chances are you won’t bat freely,” Dasgupta said, underscoring the importance of confidence in the middle order.
The issue is further complicated by team selection dynamics, particularly when balancing key bowlers like Arshdeep Singh and Kuldeep Yadav with batting depth. Arshdeep’s return to the playing XI in Cuttack proved decisive, while Kuldeep, despite performing well in the ODI series, had to sit out due to the need for an extra batter. Dasgupta highlighted that such selection challenges emphasize the importance of middle-order stability, which is directly affected by the form of Yadav and Gill.
The veteran commentator stressed that having both players firing would ease the pressure on the team and provide more options in crucial phases of a T20 innings. While India’s overall squad depth remains a strength, the performance of Suryakumar Yadav and Shubman Gill will be closely monitored as the team prepares for the global tournament.
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