Akash Deep had single-handedly sent England’s top-order packing on Day 1 of 4th Test. Jasprit Bumrah, rested from the Ranchi Test, had a big role in it.
India debutant Akash Deep broke into a jubilant celebration with fist pumps and a roar after he sent Zak Crawley’s off-stump cartwheeling with a nip-backer. It was his maiden international wicket in the second over of his career. But the party was cut short within seconds. The horror sound of the siren went off as the on-field umpire was asked to signal a no ball by his colleague with the benefit of replays. Akash was shocked as the replay showed he had overstepped.
Akash Deep picked three wickets with the new ball on debut for India against England in Ranchi
“I felt very bad. Not because it would have been my first international wicket but because they were playing really well after that. When they were scoring freely, I was feeling bad that the team might suffer because of me,” Akash later told the host broadcaster after the end of Day 1’s play.
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While Crawley, who was on 4 then, gathered momentum, Akash bounced back as well. Two overs later, he broke the opening stand by dismissing Ben Duckett and two deliveries after, he sent back Ollie Pope for a duck. Another over later, he eventually managed to reprieve himself, as he dismissed Crawley, hitting the top of off stump again, but this time with a legal delivery. Akash had single-handedly sent England’s top-order packing for just 57 runs in 12 overs.
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The Jasprit Bumrah advice
The 27-year-old added how Jasprit Bumrah’s advice before his debut helped him put India on top in the fourth Test against England in Ranchi. He revealed that Bumrah, who was rested for the match owing to workload management, had told him to bowl shorter deliveries, which fetched him two of the three deliveries he took on Friday.
“In domestic cricket, our length is a couple of feet fuller,” he said. “Here, our coaches, captain and Bumrah bhai told me that at international level, the length is a touch shorter because batsmen look to chase the ball here. So my plan was to just bowl at my line and length.”
Akash made his first-class debut in 2019 and picked up 104 wickets in the format in 30 appearances. However, it was his performance against England Lions last month for India A that earned him a maiden Test call-up. He had picked 13 wickets in three matches which included two four-wicket hauls.
Talking about his journey, he said: “I don’t know what all I did [in domestic cricket] but whatever match I played, I played as if it was the last match of my life. Whatever worked for me, I would just try to repeat that in every match.”
