Akash Deep reveals what sparked his animated send-off to Ben Duckett in The Oval Test
The India tour of England concluded after a fiery showdown spanning almost two months. The India vs England series had all the elements that define the true spirit of Test cricket. In the five-match contest, every fixture went down to the final day, with the opponents managing to draw level at 2-2. One of the most notable aspects of the series was the intense rivalry between the sides, not just with bat and ball, but also through on-field antics and sledges. The Oval Test, the fifth and final fixture, saw Akash Deep carry that competitive edge as he gave Ben Duckett a heated send-off after dismissing the English opener. Now, days after the series’ conclusion, the Indian pacer has opened up about the incident.
Ben Duckett instigated Akash Deep in The Oval Test, the Indian pacer reveals
Shubman Gill charging at Zak Crawley, the English cordon swarming around Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar, the heat ran high in the India vs England series. However, among all the fiery moments in the five-match contest, one particular incident amused viewers the most. When Akash Deep managed to break the aggressive opening stand of Crawley and Duckett in The Oval Test, the pacer marked it with a unique celebration.
Instead of breaking into a fiery showdown, Akash Deep put his arm around Duckett as the opener made his way back to the dugout. While Duckett didn’t look amused, the Indian pacer continued speaking to him in his stride until KL Rahul intervened. Interestingly, Akash Deep had enjoyed dominance over the opener, dismissing him twice in the series before the final Test. Although Duckett eventually fell to Akash Deep once again, the English batter put up a flamboyant fight at The Oval, finding boundaries against the pacer.
Tensions had already been simmering between the pair before the send-off, with verbal exchanges taking place between deliveries. Now, Akash Deep has revealed the build up to his send-off to Duckett. According to Akash Deep, Duckett had taunted him by claiming he wouldn’t be able to dismiss him. The comment that struck a nerve, especially given the Indian pacer’s strong track record against the English batter.
“I have a good record against Duckett and have got him out a few times,” Akash Deep said. “I have always fancied my chances against the left-handers, and he is no different. On that day, he was trying to throw me off my line and length and had played a number of unconventional shots. That’s when he said to me that it was his day and I will not be able to get him out," he revealed.
While Akash Deep admitted that Duckett’s approach posed problems early on, the breakthrough wicket only intensified his emotions, making the dismissal all the more satisfying.
“The truth is, if a batter moves around the pitch and plays these shots, your line and length does get impacted, for you don’t really know what he will do next. That’s what was happening. Also, England were off to a quick start and we needed a wicket. We were defending a modest score and wickets were critical. When I got him out (smiles), I said to him: ‘You miss, I hit. Not always will you win. This time, I win’. It was a continuation of what he was saying to me, and it was all done in good spirit,” said the bowler.
