'Players are getting injured, players are unavailable' - Deep Dasgupta addresses India's recent injury woes

Former India wicketkeeper-batter Deep Dasgupta has highlighted the significance of extended preparation time for Team India ahead of the upcoming Sri Lanka Test series. Dasgupta emphasised that such lengthy preparation camps are rare opportunities for the Indian coaching staff to work with players in ideal conditions rather than managing last-minute disruptions caused by injuries and unavailability.

India's recent tour schedules have often forced coaching staff to adapt their plans at short notice. Past assignments, including tours to Ireland and England, saw players becoming unavailable due to injuries, preventing the coaching staff from executing a structured preparation strategy and instead requiring them to manage crises as they emerged.

"In my opinion, this is a dream preparation for Team India; now how they use this time is an entirely different thing. If we compare the preparations with the Ireland and England tour, that was not ideal; that was like firefighting. Players were getting injured; players were unavailable. So as a coach, you are not able to prepare anything." Dasgupta said in a video on his YouTube channel.

"Just as you set a playing XI, someone or the other gets injured, then they have to change it. It will be rare that India gets 10-15 days to prepare for a series. It might not be practically possible to get 10-15 days before a series," he added.

According to the cricketer-turned-commentator, head coach Gautam Gambhir is likely to view this preparation window as a valuable opportunity to focus on player development rather than crisis management. The distinction between coaching players during extended camps and managing them in the days immediately before a match is significant for the team's overall preparation quality and strategic planning.

"Gautam Gambhir will prefer preparation camps like this because he is actually getting to coach players. Just a day or two before the match, you are not coaching, you are managing players. I will not be surprised if the Indian coaching staff are really happy because this is the chance where they can actually coach a player, rather than managing," Dasgupta said.

India faces ongoing injury concerns as the Sri Lanka series approaches. Washington Sundar will miss the opening Test due to a hamstring injury, while fast bowler Akash Deep remains unavailable as he recovers from stress reactions in his back. The Sri Lanka Test series is scheduled for August 15-29, 2026, with the opening match set to take place in Galle under the leadership of Shubman Gill.