'Does not mean you blindly pick Kuldeep': Dasgupta says Yadav not an automatic pick for T20 WC game against Pakistan

Kuldeep Yadav has dismissed Babar Azam twice in international cricket and holds the upper hand, but former India wicketkeeper-batsman Deep Dasgupta believes he doesn't make for an automatic selection for their T20 World Cup clash as a lot has changed since they last met.

India and Pakistan were once in the headlines recently when the two South Asian heavyweights were drawn in the same group for the Super 12 stage of the upcoming T20 World Cup in UAE and Oman. Numerous experts and pundits have already started talking about possible team combinations for the marquee clash. Jumping early on the bandwagon is former India cricketer Deep Dasgupta, who spoke about whether Kuldeep Yadav will make for an automatic selection given his impressive record against Pakistan's current captain, Babar Azam.

Former India wicketkeeper batsman Deep Dasgupta says Yadav is not an automatic pick for T20 WC game against Pakistan just because he has dismissed Babar Azam previously. (GETTY IMAGES)

While Azam is yet to play a T20I against India, he has featured in 5 ODIs and the star batsman does not possess a strong record. He averages 31.6 and is yet to register a 50+ score against the 'Men in Blue'.

Moreover, he has been dismissed by Yadav two times, including the most recent dismissal during the 2019 ICC World Cup in England.

While these numbers do tell a story, former India wicketkeeper Dasgupta said it wouldn't be smart to rely on these numbers and stats as a lot has changed in the two teams since their last meet.

"These numbers look very nice but they are historical. The fact of the matter is while these are factually correct, the other side of the story is it’s been a while since they played each other – Kuldeep’s graph has done down a bit, Babar Azam’s gone up since.

"Just because he has done that does not mean you blindly pick Kuldeep. You’ll also have to see how Kuldeep is bowling, and from that perspective, the Sri Lanka series, the IPL will be very, very crucial going forward," the former Bengal captain told Sportskeeda in an interview.

It's been two years since India beat Pakistan by 89 runs in the group stage. The two nations, due to political tensions, have stopped playing bilateral series, and whenever they meet in an ICC tournament, the excitement surrounding the rivalry tears through the roof.