Akash Deep is 'lambi race ka ghoda': Ex-Bengal keeper who saw pacer's bowling from close quarters

New Delhi, July 8 (IANS) With 80 overs of play possible after rain delayed the start of day five’s play at Edgbaston by an hour and 40 minutes, anticipation about the end result was at its high amongst fans. Despite England’s win being far-fetched, the hosts still held onto a glimmer of hope in an otherwise bleak situation – an unlikely draw.

However, their resolve for a drawn result was shattered by a quiet yet persistent force named Akash Deep, who stood up to be the unlikely hero of an overseas Test win for India. Akash, stepping into the playing eleven at Edgbaston for a rested Jasprit Bumrah, bowled a spell that not only decimated England’s batting order but also lit up Indian cricket.

With figures of 10-187 - his maiden ten-wicket haul in just his eighth Test, including a fiery 6-99 in the fourth innings, Akash helped India seal a thumping series-levelling 336-run win - the first-ever Test match victory by an Asian side at Edgbaston.

But for those who have witnessed Akash’s cricketing journey, particularly with Bengal, his brilliant display at Edgbaston was not entirely unexpected - it fulfilled the promise they saw in the fast bowler when he played in Bengal’s cricketing ecosystem.

“All of us who have seen him bowl are not surprised by his performance at Edgbaston. I mean, I’m happy, but I’m not surprised really. I’m not saying that he has done something which he’s never done before because we’ve seen him do well on a good batting wicket, and get good Test batters out often.

“In fact I’m happy that he’s done it at a higher level, but I’m not surprised if that’s the case as I would expect him to bowl like this. I’ve seen him and Mukesh (Kumar, India pacer) do this to other teams when our fabulous fast bowling attack of him, Mukesh and Ishan Porel played together and (Ashoke) Dinda was present before,” Joydeep Mukherjee, who spotted Akash as director of cricket operations at the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB), told IANS in an exclusive conversation.

Akash’s performance also did not come as a surprise to Shreevats Goswami, the former Bengal wicketkeeper, who saw the fast bowler’s exceptional talent during a 2019 CAB indoor net session.

"I immediately understood that this guy is a great find by God’s grace and a lambi race ka ghoda (one for the long haul). Then he got picked up for the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy games in Indore and played there really well by bowling quick.

“I am very happy because I expected this, to be honest. It was about time this would happen because I have seen him from very close quarters. Having kept up against his bowling, I am not surprised at all with his Edgbaston performances. When the chips are down, he is somebody who will be relentless with his line and length even when there is no assist from the pitch,” Goswami said in an exclusive conversation with IANS.

One of the deliveries from Akash which still has the cricketing world talking is him totally bamboozling Joe Root with a nip-backer coming from wide of the crease which nipped away late to go past his outside edge and hit top of off-stump.

Mukherjee stated the way Akash dismissed Root was one of the crucial learnings he got from being mentored by Waqar Younis and Ranadeb Bose, the current national junior selector, under CAB’s Vision 2020 initiative – where his training, nutrition and residential needs were taken care of after being picked from second division cricket circuit.

“His biggest plus point is that he does bowl a lot from the middle of the stumps, which is why he creates that angle and from that angle, it either goes away or goes in. He and Mukesh have been taught how to use the depth of the crease.

“As a batter, you have to play for the ball that’s coming in. But he has that ability of going wide and then seaming it away, which is the one that got Root. The pace at which he bowled at Edgbaston, along with his physical condition, relentlessness, and accuracy, were top notch,” said Mukherjee.

Goswami also expressed a similar sentiment. "He uses his crease really well, as very rarely these days bowlers use their crease. Imagine a great batter like Joe Root, who was expecting the ball to come in, but the ball held the line slightly and got him out.

"Sometimes people think he’s not as quick, but when the batters are facing him, he’s hard to face as he’s a bit deceptive and got a quick bouncer as well. He picks up big wickets, doesn’t get tail-enders out and that’s the big thing," he said.

Akash’s success at Edgbaston, marked by pinpoint accuracy, masterful crease usage, late swing, and relentless attack, is a testament to years spent honing his skills on lifeless Indian pitches. Akash’s bowling in England is slightly fuller than what it was in Australia, something impressed Mukherjee, who also spoke with the fast bowler in post-match hours.

"For me, what stood out was the length he bowled, as even the commentators were praising about it. He was always attacking the stumps and not letting batters leave too many balls. So, that was heartening to see. But this is years of work that has gone into this happening.”

Dismissing the aggressive Jamie Smith with a slow bouncer after being hit for two sixes demonstrated Akash’s cricketing smarts, while getting the better of Ben Duckett in the first innings highlighted the rewards of a classic set-up executed well. Against the left-handed Duckett, Akash bowled three balls to him on the same spot angling in from round the wicket.

But on the fourth delivery, Akash bowled at the same spot, but this time, got the ball to move away and it took Duckett’s edge behind. “It’s exactly how Stuart Broad used to get in the mind of David Warner. I have a feeling Akash getting the wood over Duckett will be similar to that - come around the wicket, get a batter out via an edge, and then in very next innings, get him clean bowled.”

"That means Duckett is not able to pick up his deliveries. The Bengal team had a lot of left-handers, and bowling in the nets to very good left-handers meant Akash worked on bowling to those type of batters and result is there to see for all,” added Goswami.

Following the win, Akash’s voice became heavy with emotion as he dedicated his ten-wicket match haul to his elder sister, Akhand Jyoti, who has stage three colon cancer and is undergoing chemotherapy. During his time of playing for the Lucknow Super Giants in IPL 2025, Akash made sure to be at his sister’s side in the hospital whenever he was there in the city.

“I knew about it, but good that it’s come from him. This has happened two months back, but he’s handling it well. The sport stays with you for a while, but the person in you stays for the rest of your life. He’s had mishaps – father and an elder brother passing away in six months.

“He’s very family-oriented, God-fearing, quiet boy who does all the right things. is. If you speak to anybody in the Indian team, they’ll say the same thing about him - very good and lovely human being,” said Mukherjee.

Akash’s mental fortitude, forged through personal hardships, means he puts in 100 per cent effort while bowling every ball, believes Goswami. “The difficulties he’s faced in life have also meant whenever he bowls, he really bowls his heart out on the field. I mean, you can see it - the attitude and aggression is there. I also have a feeling if he keeps on playing Test cricket consistently, he might get a century with the bat as well. I won’t be surprised and trust me he will do it.”

Having enjoyed seeing Akash’s talent and potential in a small club game, on the recommendation of Dattatreya Mukherjee, a former fast bowler who won Ranji Trophy in 1989-90, Mukherjee played a key role in bringing him into the CAB’s Vision 2020 initiative. He still raves about Akash, 28, being a very hardworking boy with great work ethics.

“Whatever you ask of him, it’ll be done. For example, head coach Arun Lal told the fast bowlers to eat dinner between 7.30 and 8 pm. So, every day, he and Mukesh came and by eight o’clock, they had their dinner. Now, this is just his honesty to the game that our coach had said, so it has to be followed. That is why the success is also there.”

“It’s just that, it’s taken a bit of time. He’s very serious about his fitness, bowling, and diet. Like, if the trainer tells him, no junk food, means it will be followed. So, when everything is put together, you see somebody doing all the right things, then success is bound to come, right? It’s just a question of time. You wait for your opportunities and hope you get it. Once that opportunity comes, then that’s it,” he said.

Years of hard work and self-discipline have paid off for Akash, who has become the first Indian fast bowler since Umesh Yadav (2018) to achieve a ten-wicket haul in a Test match. It’s this blend of relentlessly working hard on his skills and being disciplined towards his craft that makes Akash’s rise remarkable.

“He tries to get lbws and bowled dismissals more - always attacking the stumps and that’s what you want, especially when you play against England, right? Because they are always trying to attack you, so if they miss, Akash will hit. He can use angles from both around and over the wicket and that’s very rare.

“With the angle he bowls, he can target cracks on pitches during days three, four and five, and that’s what exactly he did at Edgbaston. Because he’s gone through the grind of Ranji Trophy, there’s this feeling of ‘being there, and done that’. It’s just that this came just against a different opponent and with more confidence due to the India logo,” added Goswami.

All eyes will be on Akash when the third Test match starts at Lord’s this Thursday. Goswami is keen to see Akash open the bowling with Bumrah and add another amazing chapter to his cricketing journey that’s taken him from Baddi village in Bihar’s Rohtas district to Kolkata, and now all set to play at the iconic Home of Cricket.

“I want Akash to come in, open, straightaway get into a round of wicket angle and get into Duckett’s head. I will not be surprised if this happens at Lord’s. If it’s a green wicket there, it will be even better as sometimes I’ve seen he tries to release the ball instead of hitting it. If it’s flat, I don’t think there will be any problem. If Akash gets a little green and healthy track, then he will be more confident to do well at Lord’s,” he concluded.

--IANS

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