Without Bumrah, Akash Deep shows his class at the perfect time

Akash Deep, who is looked at as a back-up seamer till now, is steadily making his progress in India’s Test bowling line-up. Last year, when England came to India for a five-match Test series, his dream of wearing India’s Test cap turned into a reality. He made his Test debut in the fourth Test of the five-match series and made a telling impression with his new ball spell. A spell of 3 for 83 saw India find a bowler they could rely on. 

Akash Deep made the ball talk and showed his class by bowling accurate lengths. Ben Duckett was his first Test wicket after the southpaw edged one to the keeper. He then had Ollie Pope leg-before with the one that seamed into him after pitching. Zak Crawley was well settled on 42 off just 41 balls. However, he was undone by a beauty from Akash Deep with the one that jagged back in sharply to leave Crawley with no chance. Akash Deep used the crease wonderfully, bowling slightly wider of the crease and, thus, making the ball come into the batter.  

He showed what he could do with the new ball but chances didn’t come too often thereafter. Akash Deep played two Tests against New Zealand. He bowled just six overs in the second Test and 10 overs in the third Test of the series. The 28-year-old then travelled to Australia for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 but couldn’t impress a lot in the two Tests he played there. 

Akash Deep finally shows his class in England! 

In the first Test against England in Leeds, India opted for Prasidh Krishna as the third seamer with Akash Deep watching from the sidelines. The former’s performance in the Border-Gavaskar Test and his recent form would have led to his selection. But to be fair, not many had enough faith in Akash Deep before the Birmingham Test. Most of the cricket experts wanted Arshdeep Singh to replace Bumrah for the second Test. 

But Akash Deep was given the chance to replace Jasprit Bumrah for an important game. Kudos to Gautam Gambhir and Shubman Gill for showing faith in him and making him believe that he has been picked in the squad for a reason. And, after witnessing his performance in Birmingham, Akash Deep has certainly built trust in the eyes of many. It was one such performance that he will remember for a long time. India needed to pick up twenty wickets to win the Test match and without Bumrah, it was going to be difficult. 

After India had posted a mammoth 587, it was Akash Deep who denied the visitors’ top order any chance to flourish — something they had done successfully in the first Test. Ben Duckett came into the game on the back of consecutive centuries in the first Test. The Indian pacer sent him back without letting him open his account. Ollie Pope scored a ton in the last game but Akash Deep also had him for naught-this time with an almost unplayable outswinger. England failed to make a good start, losing 2 for just 13. 

Siraj complimented him brilliantly and the duo saw England limping at 84 for 5. But Harry Brook and Jamie Smith counter-attacked, stitching a 303-run partnership. Had they continued for another hour, they, perhaps, would have touched the 500-mark. India needed something to find the breakthrough and Akash Deep came to their rescue.

He bowled a beauty- the ball hit the seam and it jagged back in sharply to uproot Brook’s stumps. India got the big wicket and Siraj didn't take long to remove the tail.  On the final day of the Test, England were now set a massive target of 608. Everyone knew they would follow the 'Bazball' approach as playing for a draw is no longer a result for them. But, Akash Deep, once again, came out of syllabus for the hosts.  

For the third time in his short Test career, he picked the wickets of Ben Duckett and Ollie Pope. Both batters failed to cope with the seam movement off the pitch as the ball came in sharply. Akash Deep preserved his best ball of the Test match for the “Best batter in England’s Test Cricket History”- Rooooot! A good length delivery bowled from wide of the crease. Root was prepared to flick it through midwicket but the ball moved away ever so slightly to have his stumps castled. 

England’s best batter looked stunned and disappointed. That was the wicket - and that was the game. He also had Harry Brook as his fourth wicket of the innings and, by then, it was all but over for England.