Recently, during the fourth Test match between India and England in Ranchi, the focus turned to debutant Akash Deep, who bowled brilliantly. Anil Kumble, the former Indian cricketer who was renowned for his insightful opinions, praised the right-arm pacer for his outstanding performance on the field.
After winning the toss and choosing to bat first, England started the day, and Akash Deep took advantage of the situation by creating havoc in the opening session. In short succession, his scorching spells removed Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, and Zac Crawley, the English top-order three.
The young pacer made an excellent start, but sadly, his dismissal was overturned for overstepping in the fourth over of the day. As part of workload management, Jasprit Bumrah was rested from the team, while Akash Deep came into the playing XI. His bowling performance for India ‘A’ against the England Lions impressed the selectors and the team management.
“The team management certainly got it spot on”- Anil Kumble commends the heroics of youngster Akash Deep
Akash Deep’s involvement was all the more remarkable because the team management went with him instead of the alluring Axar Patel on a surface that was dry and full of platey cracks.
Kumble applauded the team management for selecting Akash Deep instead of Axar Patel, pointing out that the latter seemed to have a better chance on the pitch. Kumble said on Jio Cinema during the Lunch break:
“The team management certainly got it spot on. When Bumrah wasn’t available for this game, there was an option to pick a fast bowler. India has always played two seamers in this series so far. Yes, we all thought the pitch was conducive, then maybe Axar Patel. But Akash has certainly bowled exceptionally well,”
Akash Deep capitalized on the surface’s early moisture and uneven bounce. In addition, he caused the ball to move after pitching, which greatly baffled the batters.
“Hats off to Akash”- Anil Kumble heaps praise on debutant
After making his debut in 2019, Akash Deep required to play 30 first-class matches before being included in the national team. He has undoubtedly made an excellent first impression and will likely be included in Team India’s test pacer pool.
“He bowled good lengths and most of the time, the length sort of got the better of the batter, that’s where they got beaten. On this surface, it is not easy for stroke play. That’s something England batters went searching for. But hats off to Akash. I thought he bowled exceptionally well for a debutant,” Kumble explained.
Akash Deep’s influence was evident as England finished the day at 302-7, with Joe Root remaining undefeated at 106. Even though the youngster was unable to make further inroads, his performance certainly indicated a positive start to his Test career.