Akash Deep. Pic Credits: Getty Images

ENG vs IND: “I Think Akash Deep Is The Perfect Bowler”- Ajinkya Rahane Showers Praise On Speedster

Akash Deep was the star of the show as the Indian cricket team created history at the Edgbaston Cricket Ground as the Shubman Gill-led Indian cricket team created history and won the second Test match of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy by a stunning margin of 336 runs, which is their biggest winning margin away from home as well as their first in Birmingham.
Akash Deep was left out of the playing XI for the series opener at Leeds, which India lost by five wickets. Akash Deep replaced star pacer Jasprit Bumrah in the playing XI and had big shoes to fill as the team’s talisman missed out due to workload management with the team 1-0 down in the series.
Akash Deep put up a performance that will go down in the history books as he took four wickets in the first innings while conceding just 88 runs. This included the big wickets of Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Harry Brook, and Chris Woakes. The 28-year-old went one better in the second innings with a six-wicket haul while conceding just 60 runs. He got the wickets of Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jamie Smith, and Shoaib Bashir.

Akash Deep Sets World Record enroute his 10 wicket haul vs England

Akash Deep finished with figures of 10/187, which is the best a visiting pacer in history at Edgbaston. Akash Deep is only the second non-English fast bowler to get a 10-wicket haul at the ground in history. The previous instance of the same happening was also by an Indian, when Chetan Sharma took a 10-wicket haul in 1986.

Visiting Pacers With Best Bowling Figures at Edgbaston
Player Country Figures Year
Akash Deep India 10/187 2025
Chetan Sharma India 10/188 1986
Joel Garner West Indies 9/108 1984
Imran Khan Pakistan 9/136 1982
Asif Mahmood Pakistan 9/160 1971
Apart from the quicks, legendary spinners Muttiah Muralitharan (2006) and Shane Warne (2005) are the only other bowlers from a visiting team to take a 10-wicket haul at the venue. Chetan and Akash Deep are also the only two Indian pacers to take a ten-wicket haul in a Test match on English soil in history at any ground.
Jasprit Bumrah and Zaheer Khan have taken nine-wicket hauls previously at Trent Bridge in 2021 and 2007, respectively.Akash Deep’s six-wicket haul is only the second instance of a visiting pacer taking a six-wicket haul at Edgbaston in the 21st century after Mohammed Siraj, who did that in the first innings of this match. Following his heroics at Edgbaston, Former Indian batter Ajinkya Rahane was in all praise of this rising Indian pacer for his brilliant spell vs England.

Former Indian batter Ajinkya Rahane is in all praise for Akash Deep’s 10 wicket haul.

Ajinkya Rahane has expressed admiration and confidence in Akash Deep’s abilities as a bowler, particularly highlighting his potential to take wickets. He believes Akash Deep has the talent to be a consistent wicket-taker for India. Ajinkya Rahane has stated that Akash Deep has the potential to be a genuine wicket-taking bowler for India if utilized strategically. 

Ajinkya Rahane feels that Akash Deep has not been deployed to his full potential and suggests that more opportunities to bowl, especially with the new ball or as first change, could yield positive results. 

“Many had doubted his selection in this Test match but I think he had proved it completely wrong. I know Akash Deep really well. He bowls those correct lines and lengths, works hard on his game, thinks about his bowling all the time. But mostly what I liked about him in this Test match was his intent.

How he used the crease. I would like to talk about one particular ball where he got Joe Root out. He used the crease really well, he was actually mixing it up. Bowling closer to the stumps, centre and then wider.” he said

Ajinkya Rahane acknowledged Akash Deep’s dedication and emotional dedication of his performance to his sister, who is battling cancer. Ajinkya Rahane believes that Akash Deep’s contributions, especially his wicket-taking ability, can be crucial for the team’s success.

“That particular ball he went wide. He tried to push that ball in, even though if you see the line was actually on the off or the fourth stump. What happens is when you bowl slightly wider angle the batsman thinks the ball is actually coming in and that is why you see Joe Root trying to play towards midwicket and that is where he was in trouble.

When you bowl the same delivery from the centre of the wicket or closer to the stumps, that ball generally goes straight. But credit to Akash Deep, I don’t think Joe Root had done anything wrong. I think he is the perfect bowler in these conditions, bowling those line and lengths, bowling that channel. He can make the ball go both ways”. he concluded.

Overall, Ajinkya Rahane’s comments suggest he is a strong supporter of Akash Deep and believes he can be a valuable asset for the Indian cricket team. 

With the next Test starting in only three days’ time, it would be interesting to see what sort of pitch the hosts prepare, considering the result in Birmingham.  India on the other hand, whose chances were doubted after England’s fine win in Headingley last week, leave Birmingham with their first Test victory at Edgbaston at the ninth attempt.It also brilliantly sets up the remainder of the series, which continues at Lord’s on Thursday having a series levelled at 1-1.

Also Read: ENG vs IND : Shubman Gill Appointed Test Skipper For Red Ball

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