News
IPL
Women’s Premier League (WPL)
Features
Fantasy Cricket
Watch
Interviews
MP T20 League
Social Reactions
Betting Tips
Contact

Akash Deep Under the Scanner For Joe Root Dismissal, Sparks Debate on Legality of Delivery in ENG vs IND 2nd Test

Amogh Bodas

Akash Deep sent Joe Root packing for six runs in the second innings of the second Test.

What a wonderful time to be Akash Deep. The pacer was picked in the XI for the second Test against England after India were hammered in Leeds. The Three Lions chased a target of 371 effortlessly at Headingley. To make matters worse, Jasprit Bumrah was rested for the second Test. But just as India needed their bowlers to step up, Akash Deep has supported his senior, Mohammed Siraj wonderfully well. The right-arm pacer castled Joe Root’s stumps on the evening of Day 4 and sent the English legend packing. The Indian pacer makes superb use of the width of the crease and that is what helped him dismiss arguably one of the best Test batters of the generation. 

Upcoming – t20 – Afghanistan
Afghanistan National T20, 2025
07 Jul 2025, 03:00 PM IST
Hindukush Strikers HS

Pamir Legends PAL

Upcoming – t20 – Klang
Assam Women tour of Malaysia, 2025
07 Jul 2025, 07:30 AM IST
Malaysia Women MAL-W

Assam Women ASM-W

Result – t20 – Kecamatan Kuta Selatan
Bali Bash International Tri Series, 2025
Indonesia INA

130/8

Philippines PHL

183/6

Philippines beat Indonesia by 53 runs

Upcoming – t20 – Kecamatan Kuta Selatan
Bali Bash International Tri Series, 2025
07 Jul 2025, 07:00 AM IST
Philippines PHL

South Korea SK

Upcoming – t20 – Kecamatan Kuta Selatan
Bali Bash International Tri Series, 2025
07 Jul 2025, 11:30 AM IST
Indonesia INA

Philippines PHL

Upcoming – t20 – Sofia
ECN Bulgaria T20IW, 2025
07 Jul 2025, 11:45 AM IST
Greece Women GRC-W

Turkey Women TKW-W

Upcoming – t20 – Sofia
ECN Bulgaria T20IW, 2025
07 Jul 2025, 03:45 PM IST
Serbia Women SBA-W

Bulgaria Women BUL-W

Upcoming – t20 – Sofia
ECN Bulgaria T20IW, 2025
07 Jul 2025, 07:45 PM IST
Turkey Women TKW-W

Serbia Women SBA-W

Result – t10 – Sofia
ECS Bulgaria T10, 2025
BCC Spartan BSP

169/5

BSCU - MU Plovdiv BMP

101/7

BCC Spartan beat BSCU – MU Plovdiv by 68 runs

Result – t10 – Sofia
ECS Bulgaria T10, 2025
Sofia Stars SOST

127/3

MUS Akademik Ravens MAR

124/6

Sofia Stars beat MUS Akademik Ravens by 7 wickets

Result – t10 – Sofia
ECS Bulgaria T10, 2025
MUS Akademik Ravens MAR

94/2

BCC Spartan BSP

91/9

MUS Akademik Ravens won by 8 wickets

Result – t10 – Sofia
ECS Bulgaria T10, 2025
Sofia Stars SOST

110/6

MUS Akademik Ravens MAR

121/8

Upcoming – t10 – Belgium
European Cricket Series Belgium T10, 2025
07 Jul 2025, 12:15 PM IST
Liege Stallions LEST

Leuven Lions LEUL

Upcoming – t10 – Belgium
European Cricket Series Belgium T10, 2025
07 Jul 2025, 02:15 PM IST
Ostend Tigers OSTG

Liege Stallions LEST

Upcoming – t10 – Belgium
European Cricket Series Belgium T10, 2025
07 Jul 2025, 04:15 PM IST
Antwerp Giants ATPG

Brussels Bashers BRBA

Upcoming – t10 – Belgium
European Cricket Series Belgium T10, 2025
07 Jul 2025, 06:15 PM IST
Leuven Lions LEUL

Antwerp Giants ATPG

Upcoming – t10 – Belgium
European Cricket Series Belgium T10, 2025
07 Jul 2025, 08:30 PM IST
Brussels Bashers BRBA

Gent Wolves GENW

Result – t20 – Ireland
Evoke Super 20 Trophy, 2025
Scorchers Women SCO-W

164/10

Dragons Women DGW-W

202/4

Dragons Women beat Scorchers Women by 38 runs

Live – t20 – Ireland
Evoke Super 20 Trophy, 2025
Typhoons Women TYP-W

66/2

Dragons Women DGW-W

191/3

Upcoming – t20 – Ireland
Evoke Super 20 Trophy, 2025
07 Jul 2025, 03:15 PM IST
Scorchers Women SCO-W

Typhoons Women TYP-W

Abandoned – t20 – Den Haag
ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Europe Regional Final 2025
Guernsey GUE

Scotland SCOT

Match Abandoned

Abandoned – t20 – Den Haag
ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Europe Regional Final 2025
Italy ITA

Jersey JER

Match Abandoned due to rain

Upcoming – oneday – United Kingdom
India Under 19 tour of England, 2025
07 Jul 2025, 03:30 PM IST
England U19 ENGU19

India U19 INDU19

Toss – t20 – Kuwait City
KCC T20 Summer League, 2025
06 Jul 2025, 10:30 PM IST
MEC Study Group MECS

Tally Rangers TCC

Upcoming – t20 – Kuwait City
KCC T20 Summer League, 2025
07 Jul 2025, 10:30 PM IST
Fakhr-E-Kashmir FEK

Gujrat Cricket Club GUJCC

Result – t20 – Klang
MCA T20 Tri Series, 2025
Malaysia Reds MR

203/6

Thunderstorm Outlanders THUO

84/10

Malaysia Reds beat Thunderstorm Outlanders by 119 runs

Upcoming – t20 – Lauderhill
Major League Cricket, 2025
07 Jul 2025, 12:30 AM IST
Washington Freedom WAF

MI New York MINY

Upcoming – t20 – Lauderhill
Major League Cricket, 2025
07 Jul 2025, 04:30 AM IST
Los Angeles Knight Riders LAKR

San Francisco Unicorns SFU

Upcoming – t20 – Northern Ireland
New Zealand A Women tour of England, 2025
07 Jul 2025, 07:00 PM IST
England Women A ENGA-W

New Zealand Women A NZA-W

Live – t20 – Puducherry
Pondicherry Premier League, 2025
Ossudu Accord Warriors OAW

113/7

Ruby White Town Legends RWT

138/8

Upcoming – t20 – Puducherry
Pondicherry Premier League, 2025
07 Jul 2025, 02:00 PM IST
Karaikal Kniights KAK

Mahe Megalo Strikers MMS

Upcoming – t20 – Puducherry
Pondicherry Premier League, 2025
07 Jul 2025, 06:00 PM IST
Yanam Royals YAR

Villianur Mohit Kings VMK

Result – t20 – Malawi
Quadrangular T20I Series in Malawi, 2025
Malawi ML

120/7

Tanzania TAN

192/4

Tanzania beat Malawi by 72 runs

Result – t20 – Malawi
Quadrangular T20I Series in Malawi, 2025
Bahrain BHN

207/2

Germany GER

159/8

Upcoming – t20 – Malawi
Quadrangular T20I Series in Malawi, 2025
07 Jul 2025, 01:00 PM IST
Germany GER

Tanzania TAN

Upcoming – t20 – Malawi
Quadrangular T20I Series in Malawi, 2025
07 Jul 2025, 05:15 PM IST
Bahrain BHN

Malawi ML

Live – test – Bulawayo
South Africa tour of Zimbabwe, Test, 2025
Zimbabwe ZIM

South Africa SA

465/4

Result – oneday – Marrara
Sri Lanka A tour of Australia, 2025
Australia A AUS A

243/10

Sri Lanka A SL-A

294/7

Sri Lanka A beat Australia A by 51 runs

Live – t10 – Gros Islet
St.Lucia T10 Blast, 2025
Piton Strikers PTS

Whiptail Smashers WTS

26/3

Upcoming – t10 – Gros Islet
St.Lucia T10 Blast, 2025
07 Jul 2025, 12:00 AM IST
Iyanola Heritage IYH

Amazonian Warriors AMW

Upcoming – t10 – Gros Islet
St.Lucia T10 Blast, 2025
07 Jul 2025, 09:30 PM IST
TBC TBC

TBC TBC

Upcoming – t10 – Gros Islet
St.Lucia T10 Blast, 2025
08 Jul 2025, 12:00 AM IST
Bamboo Blasters BMB

Calabash Giants CBG

Live – t20 – Dindigul
Tamil Nadu Premier League, 2025
IDream Tiruppur Tamizhans IDTT

220/5

Dindigul Dragons DID

87/8

Result – t20 – United Kingdom
Vitality T20 Blast, 2025
Glamorgan GLAM

122/4

Kent KENT

118/9

Glamorgan beat Kent by 6 wickets

Live – t20 – United Kingdom
Vitality T20 Blast, 2025
Durham DURH

182/7

Birmingham Bears BB

54/2

Result – t20 – Chesterfield
Vitality T20 Blast, 2025
Derbyshire DER

201/3

Yorkshire YOR

200/6

Live – t20 – United Kingdom
Vitality T20 Blast, 2025
Hampshire HAM

178/3

Somerset SOM

53/3

Live – t20 – United Kingdom
Vitality T20 Blast, 2025
Northamptonshire NOR

152/9

Worcestershire WOR

65/2

Match delayed due to rain

Live – t20 – United Kingdom
Vitality T20 Blast, 2025
Nottinghamshire NOT

179/6

Leicestershire LEI

188/2

Live – t20 – United Kingdom
Vitality T20 Blast, 2025
Gloucestershire GLO

204/5

Middlesex MID

Upcoming – t20 – United Kingdom
Vitality T20 Blast, 2025
06 Jul 2025, 09:00 PM IST
Surrey SURR

Essex ESS

Result – t20 – United Kingdom
Women’s Vitality Blast T20, 2025
Hampshire Women HAM-W

154/2

Somerset Women SOM-W

153/8

Hampshire Women beat Somerset Women by 8 wickets

Abandoned – t20 – United Kingdom
Women’s Vitality Blast T20, 2025
The Blaze Women TBLZ-W

Durham Women DUR-W

16/1

Match Abandoned

Result – t20 – United Kingdom
Women’s Vitality Blast T20, 2025
Surrey Women SUR-W

159/5

Essex Women ESS-W

93/5

(D/L) method

Result – t20 – United Kingdom
Women’s Vitality Blast T20, 2025
Lancashire Women LAN-W

124/3

 Birmingham Bears Women BRB-W

123/7

Lancashire Women beat Birmingham Bears Women by 7 wickets

To make Joe Root stand on the pitch thinking that he couldn’t have done anything to keep that ball away, you have to do something special. And Akash Deep’s delivery was indeed special. He used the width of the crease to angle the ball in. But just as it was about to pitch, it held its line and shaped out. Root had already committed to the shot and was left reeling as his stumps were castled. The 28-year-old bowled a delivery, which is a dream delivery for fast bowlers. And what better wicket could he get out of it, given the situation of the game?

Akash Deep Under the Scanner

Using the width of the crease is a skill. If mastered properly, it can reap fantastic results. Like it did for the Indian pacer. But, there were allegations on the legality of the delivery. Many stakeholders thought that Akash Deep’s right leg was about two inches over the return crease. As per the rules, the bowler’s foot cannot go over the return crease when it first lands. A bowler’s back foot must be inside the return crease, which was not the case for many stakeholders, including BBC commentator Alison Mitchell. As a result, the dismissal has sparked many debates over the legality of the delivery.

“The delivery from Akash Deep — which we said was wide off the crease — his foot on the back crease is out. Looks like by about two inches. Maybe a little bit more. But comfortably. So his back foot, which needs to land within the line, just taps about two inches over the line. Not picked up!” Mitchell said, referring to the incident.

What MCC Law 21.5.1 Says

On the other hand, former India head coach Ravi Shastri has come out in support of the Indian speedster. He stressed that Deep’s foot had landed within the return crease, making the ball a legal delivery. Root was dismissed for 22 in the first innings, and could only manage six runs in the second. As far as the first two Tests are concerned, England’s best batter in the longest format has had a pretty ordinary series. And England will be hopeful that he turns the tables very soon. To add to the topic, let’s have a look at what the MCC Laws of Cricket suggest for the rule. 

ALSO READ:

According to the law, “For a delivery to be fair in respect of the feet, in the delivery stride (21.5.1), the bowler’s back foot must land within and not touch the return crease appertaining to his/her stated mode of delivery. (21.5.2) The bowler’s front foot must land with some part of the foot, whether grounded or raised, on the same side of the imaginary line joining the two middle stumps as the return crease described in 21.5.1, and behind the popping crease.”

For more updates, follow CricXtasy on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Telegram, and YouTube.