He made his debut earlier this year during the England Test series.
The Indian squad for the first of the two-match IND vs BAN Test series was announced earlier yesterday.
While the likes of pace veterans Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj were named in the squad, former India skipper Sourav Ganguly put the limelight on a young Indian pacer to find success against the Asian rivals.
Furthermore, the absence of talismanic Mohammed Shami due to his rehabilitation meant Bumrah required a reliable partner alongside Siraj. As a result, the BCCI included two promising young fast bowlers, Akash Deep and left-arm seamer Yash Dayal, in the squad.
Despite Akash Deep having only one international cap, Sourav Ganguly believes he could be a dark horse against Bangladesh.
Akash, who debuted in Tests against England earlier this year, comes from the same state as Ganguly and the former BCCI president is confident that the 27-year-old won’t lack pace either.
Ganguly said during an event in Kolkata, “Akash Deep is an outstanding young fast bowler. He runs in, bowls quick, and will bowl for long periods. He is fit, I’ve seen him play for Bengal over a long period of time, taking wickets. He will be as quick as Mohammed Siraj and Mohammed Shami, hitting high 140s. He is one to watch out for.”
Replacing Bumrah earlier in the year during the England series, Akash enjoyed a stellar debut picking up 3/83 in the 4th Test in Ranchi, dismissing Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett and Ollie Pope.
Although Akash has had limited playing time recently, featuring in only one IPL 2024 match and the first-round game of the just-finished Duleep Trophy, his performance still caught the attention of the selectors.
ALSO READ: Rajasthan Royals youngster equals MS Dhoni’s 20-year-old record in Duleep Trophy
He delivered a remarkable haul of nine wickets, taking 4/60 in the first innings and 5/56 in the second, which led to the decision to offer him another opportunity.
For more updates, follow CricXtasy on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Telegram and YouTube
