Deep Dasgupta backs India’s strategy in warm-up match against Sri Lanka XI

India faced Sri Lanka XI in a three-day warm-up match at Nondescripts Cricket Club Ground in Colombo. The fixture served as preparation for the two-match Test series between the teams, which begins on August 15 and marks the start of the ICC World Test Championship 2025-27 cycle. Sri Lanka XI won the toss and chose to bat first.

Former India wicketkeeper-batter Deep Dasgupta offered his perspective on team management’s approach during the warm-up encounter, discussing the rationale behind giving certain players extended opportunities to assess their capabilities at this level.

“What you will get from Kuldeep with the bat is that he can hold one end. He is capable of playing this role, and has done it in the past as well. He might not have scored a lot of runs, but he has played out balls. I think Saransh got to play more deliveries because you don’t know how he plays at this level. So I can understand why he got the chance to play more deliveries. As a team management, you want to see what a new player can do. I won’t have much of an issue with that call,” said Dasgupta on his YouTube channel.

Red-ball transition poses challenge for spinners

The transition from white-ball to red-ball cricket presented a distinct challenge for India’s bowling contingent. Dasgupta highlighted the technical differences between the two formats and their impact on spinners in particular, noting that bowlers accustomed to white-ball cricket would need to adjust to the characteristics of the red Kookaburra.

“It will be a big test for players like Manav Suthar, Gurnoor Brar, and Saransh Jain, because the feel of this ball is different when compared to SG. They must be used to the white Kookaburra, but there is a lot of difference between the red and white ball. That in itself becomes a massive challenge for the bowler,” Dasgupta said.

The three-day fixture provided an opportunity for bowlers to adjust to the red Kookaburra before the Test series commenced. Dasgupta’s analysis underscored the significance of the warm-up match in preparing India’s squad for the red-ball format.