Coming from a small town in Bihar to wreaking havoc at Edgbaston, Akash Deep has aced everything that has come his way, in life and on the field.
On a rainy day in the UK, Akash Deep scripted history for the Indian team, emphatically bowling the side to a win at Edgbaston when it looked all bleak after Jasprit Bumrah was withdrawn. In a game that appeared to be heading towards a draw, Deep became the hero.
The Bengal-based pacer replaced Jasprit Bumrah in the playing XI at Edgbaston and bowled a spell that dismantled England’s batting order, primarily the top-order, in the second Test. The lanky pacer ended the game with a 10-wicket haul, helping India win the game by 336 runs.
The story does not end here, as beyond the numbers and stats, he has seen utter pain, made sacrifices, and yet managed to come out with unmatched determination.
Akash Deep was born in Dehri, a small village in Bihar’s Sasaram district, on December 15, 1996. Life has been topsy-turvy for him as he witnessed grief when he was just 16. He lost his father and older brother within the space of two months. The double tragedy forced Akash to leave cricket for three years.
“Akash has got that determination. He has seen a lot,” Shreevats Goswami, who has seen the Bengal pacer at close quarters, told CricXtasy in an exclusive interview.
“His father and brother passed away, and his sister was diagnosed with cancer. Whenever anyone comes from other states to play cricket in Bengal, it tells you that these guys have left everything behind.
Akash came to Bengal, leaving his home leaving his family, so he had a lot to prove. (Agar cricket Mei kuch nhi kar pata toh kis muh se ghar jata). Usually, there are bigger families in Bihar, and the breadwinner is one. Akash got to know very early that everything depends on him, and he has to take that onus. His father was not happy when he found out he wanted to become a cricketer. Like every father, he wanted him to get a government job that is stable. Despite facing everything, he remained focused,” Goswami said.
Pushed by his mother, Laddu Devi, Akash came to West Bengal to chase his cricket dreams, but again, the road ahead was full of difficulties. He used to play tennis ball cricket to make some money, and eventually his extraordinary pace caught the attention of Bengal’s cricket scouts.
Back in 2019, Akash Deep managed to make it to the Bengal Under-23 side, and the same year, he got a chance to feature for Bengal in all three formats. In just his second Ranji Trophy game, Akash scalped six wickets against Gujarat.
“I heard about Akash Deep ahead of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy in 2019,” Goswami, who alerted the world about him long before most knew of him, told. “He was playing for Bengal U-23 at that point in time. A lot of people told me that there’s a guy who bowls 140 consistently. He came to bowl when we were practising for the Ranji Trophy. He was bowling in the indoor facility of the Cricket Association of Bengal.
“The indoor wicket of CAB is a bit quick, and the bowler gets extra bounce there,” Goswami says. “Whenever Mohammed Shami used to come in the indoor nets, we did not face him, citing the wicket and especially the kind of pace he has. Bengal is known for producing pace bowlers. Yes, Ashok Dinda was there, then Shami came. But then, Dinda retired, and Shami rarely plays first-class cricket because he is busy with his India commitments, so we were looking for a pace bowler.
“That’s when Akash chipped in, and since he was bowling in the indoor facility, he had to cut down his run-up and yet he was bowling quicker. I was batting against him, and I could feel that sheer pace he has.
“He was a bit erratic, but he bowled at a tremendous pace. I told the management to fast-track him, get him to play in the Syed Mustaq Ali Trophy, and eventually he joined us. He could not take many wickets, but then again, he bowled at a serious pace. We thought he was only meant for the white ball tournament, but he proved us wrong. He did wonders when he got a chance to play in the red ball format,” Goswami told CricXtasy.
Bengal has not been known for producing bowlers who have extra speed. Things became difficult for Bengal when star player Ashok Dinda retired, as they had a massive void to fill. But then two Biharis came in, and the rest is history.
“I feel bowlers win you matches, and every team needs a quality bowler. The likes of Ranadeb Bose, Ashok Dinda, and Sourav Sarkar were there for Bengal for quite some time, then Dinda and Shami chipped in and also went on to play for India.
“Veer Pratap Singh was there, but then he got injured and could not make a comeback. So Bengal always needed a quality pacer, and Akash Deep and Mukesh Kumar both came at the right time. Mukesh was there with us; he was traveling with the team, but did not get a chance to play initially.
“Akash came like a bullet, played U-23 and then straightaway went on to play in the Ranji Trophy for Bengal. Everybody was impressed by his bowling, and his work ethic has always been excellent. He used to run very fast in training compared to other players,” the former Bengal wicketkeeper said.
Akash Deep, who was asked to take the place of Jasprit Bumrah, ended the second Test match against England with the figures of 10/187, including a fiery 6-99 in the fourth innings. On the back of his heroics, the Indian team managed to win the Edgbaston Test. Though he bowled really well throughout the game, a lot of people have been talking about one particular delivery to Joe Root. The 28-year-old pacer bamboozled Joe Root with a delivery coming from wide of the crease, hitting the top of the off-stump.
“See, Akash is aware of his strengths,” Goswami says of the Root dismissal. “Be it any batter, he knows what he needs to do. When it comes to Joe Root’s dismissal, if there’s a flat pitch that is not helping bowlers at all, then one needs to bowl using the depth of the crease. On a grassy and green wicket, the pitch mostly does everything, but when it comes to flat wickets, bowlers need to exploit the crease.
“Akash knew the pitch did not have much to offer, so he started using the angle and crease. When you start using the angle and crease and go wide a bit, it gets difficult for the batters to predict the delivery. Akash did the same, and Joe Root was clueless.”
“There are not many bowlers who do it, but Akash is the one who always aces this. His seam position is brilliant, plus he bowls at a good pace; he has everything that a pacer needs. It was a crucial wicket for India, as we all know how dangerous Joe Root is. What impresses me about Akash the most is that he uses the crease and angle against both left and right-handed batters with ease,” Goswami said.
When it comes to using the crease, India’s star pacer Mohammed Shami is the master. The way he bowls using the angle and crease has garnered him big praise. Both Shami and Akash are outsiders and came to play for Bengal from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, respectively.
“Mohammed Shami and Akash Deep are similar but also different in some capacities. Both are wicket-takers, and they are very accurate with their line and length. Whenever a batter misses out on their deliveries, they usually get bowled or LBW. Shami is experienced and has tremendous control over his seam position, while Akash can contribute even with his batting and fielding,” the Bengal veteran said.
Apart from his bowling, Akash is a handy batter too. The 28-year-old player played a match-saving knock against Australia in the third Test at Brisbane in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25. Akash made 31 runs from 44 balls, which was laced with two boundaries and one maximum.
“I am saying this on record, if Akash Deep keeps playing Test cricket, we can witness a century from him in the next 3-4 years. He has got that ability, he can bat, he can tonk the ball hard against any bowler.”
The 36-year-old veteran does not want Akash to play in the white ball format. He feels it is difficult for a pacer bowler to play in all three formats of the game.
“Personally, I do not want Akash to play in the T20 format. I want him to play more Test matches going forward. He can play the 50-over format too. I am not saying that he cannot become a three-format bowler, but then we all know that it is difficult for the pacers to play all the formats of the game. There are injury concerns and a lot more. You take the example of Jasprit Bumrah, he plays all the formats and has been exceptional, but again has been dealing with several injuries”, Goswami told CricXtasy.
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The Indian team is taking part in the five-match Test series against England, where both teams have won one game each and the series is levelled 1-1. The former Bengal cricketer predicted who would win the high-octane Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy.
“Definitely, the Indian team will win the series. England are already scared, citing Jasprit Bumrah’s factor. Now, Siraj and Akash came out of the syllabus for them; they are under a lot of pressure. I think England will win one more match, and in the rest of the games, India will win.
“I am saying this because it’s a new Indian team, they have come here without Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, they have a point to prove. They want to tell the world that they can win even without Virat and Rohit. Shubman wants to build his own team like Virat did. Under the leadership of Virat Kohli, the likes of Umesh Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, and Mohammed Shami made headlines with their performances. Now, Gill also wants to do the same with Akash Deep, Siraj, and Prasidh Krishna. He has the motivation to win matches overseas.”
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