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Batting legend Sunil Gavaskar believes India’s ongoing T20I series against New Zealand is serving as an early warm-up as the team gears up in earnest to defend its T20 World Cup title.

With India taking an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match series after a commanding eight-wicket win in Guwahati on Sunday, Gavaskar highlighted the depth and preparedness of the squad.

“This series is like an appetiser; the main course begins from February 7,” Gavaskar said on the JioHoststar show. “Now that the series is won, the focus is clearly on defending the World Cup. These players are preparing thoroughly.”

He noted that even players who have not had much time in the middle are using the opportunity to sharpen their skills. “Some of them haven’t even had the chance to bat, so they’re working on range-hitting, timing, rhythm, bat flow and pick-up. It shows how seriously this team is taking the World Cup,” he said.

Gavaskar said India’s confidence and squad depth were evident in their comfortable victories, even without significant contributions from the lower order.

“When you have batters like Rinku Singh and Hardik Pandya coming down the order and they haven’t even needed to bat in two matches, yet India keeps winning comfortably, it tells you everything about the calibre of this team,” he observed.

The former captain added that the team’s aggressive yet smart batting mindset is ideally suited to T20 cricket. “In a 20-over game, if a batter believes he has five or seven overs, he can look to score off almost every ball. It doesn’t always have to be a boundary—making every ball count is the key,” he said.

Gavaskar also praised Abhishek Sharma for his explosive half-century in Guwahati, which came off just 14 balls—the second-fastest by an Indian in T20Is—drawing comparisons with Yuvraj Singh.

“Reaching a fifty in just two overs is extremely difficult. Abhishek has shown over several matches that he is capable of getting close to that mark,” he said, adding that Yuvraj, who mentors the youngster, would be particularly pleased.

On captain Suryakumar Yadav’s form, Gavaskar said his recent knock in Raipur had come at the perfect time. “He was never short of form, only runs. He’s been batting beautifully in the nets, hitting the ball cleanly. That innings gave him exactly the confidence he needed,” he said.

India will begin their T20 World Cup title defence against the USA on February 7 in Mumbai.