India’s Test team, led by Shubman Gill, is gearing up for a crucial two-match Test series in Sri Lanka, but former India wicketkeeper-batter Deep Dasgupta believes the visitors will face a tough challenge. With Sri Lanka known for producing spin-friendly pitches, Deep Dasgupta feels India’s batting will be tested more than its bowling.
India was once regarded as one of the strongest teams against spin but recent performances have painted a different picture. The decline has been particularly noticeable at home, where India has lost five of its last seven Test matches despite once being nearly unbeatable in familiar conditions.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Deep Dasgupta said he is not overly concerned about India’s bowling resources. He pointed out that Saransh Jain, who has joined the Indian squad, is an experienced off-spinner with years of first-class cricket behind him and is also capable of contributing with the bat. With Washington Sundar unavailable, Saransh Jain provides another off-spin option alongside the left-arm spinners and Kuldeep Yadav.
However, Deep Dasgupta believes India’s batting remains the bigger concern. Referring to the recent Test series against South Africa and New Zealand, he said the new batting order is still settling in and has shown signs of vulnerability. He stressed that batting on Sri Lanka’s turning pitches will be the biggest challenge of the tour, as the hosts are expected to rely heavily on their spin attack.
He also noted that playing in Sri Lanka has traditionally been difficult, especially on surfaces that offer significant assistance to spinners. According to him, the way Indian batters handle those conditions could determine the outcome of the series.
The upcoming tour is also important for India’s campaign in the ongoing ICC World Test Championship (WTC). India’s previous assignment in the competition was the two-match Test series against South Africa last November. Since then, the team has played only one Test, against Afghanistan in June this year.
After losing four of their first eight matches in the current WTC cycle, India has little room for error. Deep Dasgupta pointed out that India still has nine Test matches remaining — five against Australia, two against Sri Lanka and two against New Zealand. He believes the team will likely need to win around seven of those nine matches to secure a place in the WTC final.
He added that away tours of Sri Lanka and New Zealand, along with the highly anticipated series against Australia, will all be demanding assignments. Considering India’s recent results, including difficult home series against New Zealand and South Africa, Deep Dasgupta said the team cannot afford to take any opponent or playing conditions lightly if it hopes to reach the World Test Championship final.
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