It was Deep Dasgupta's class act in the Duleep Trophy that first brought him into the line of vision of the national selectors. Having been nosed out by Bihar's MS Dhoni in the East Zone team for the Deodhar Trophy earlier in the season, Dasgupta finally found the breaks rolling his way. Played in the run-up to the Australian visit, the competition assumed greater import, giving the fringe players a chance to hawk their wares. In East's first game against Central, Dasgupta shone with a useful 72 that snatched the first innings lead for his side.

East's next clash was a home fixture against North Zone at Guwahati's North-East Frontier Railway Stadium. On a wicket that was slightly underprepared, North Zone were knocked over for just 206 on the opening day. All ten wickets were collected by the seamers, of whom the most destructive was Debashis Mohanty, with a bag of six. The catchers behind the stumps made a brisk business, with Dasgupta collecting three nicks off Mohanty and one off Mihir Diwakar.

To East's dismay they were even more ill-equipped to tackle the daunting conditions against the rampant left arm seamer Ashish Nehra who mopped up the astonishing figures of 7/14 in 14 overs. Only two men reached double figures, Rashmi Ranjan Parida who top scored with 28 and Deep Dasgupta who struck 16 including the only six of the innings. East were shot out for 81 and their opponents rubbed it in by rattling up 268 all out before stumps on the second day.

By now the spinners were getting considerable purchase, collecting seven wickets between them. Dasgupta once again spent a busy time behind the sticks, snapping up both openers and stumping dangerman Dinesh Mongia off left arm spinner Sukhvinder Singh. He added a fourth victim in Rahul Sanghvi to take his match haul to eight. Chasing a mammoth 394 for victory, East were never remotely in the hunt but even at that late stage, Dasgupta showed spunk, spanking 25 in 32 balls including four boundaries. It was the second highest score of the innings once more. He finished the competition with 13 dismissals, the most among any of the keepers on view. It wasn't enough to win recognition from the selectors just yet but Dasgupta's day in the sun will come.