It was a day to remember for Akash Deep. The fast bowler made his dream debut in the India vs England 4th Test, dismissing the top order of the visitors. Having made his Ranji Trophy debut five years ago, the pacer, who hails from Bihar, has finally completed his journey of representing India.
However, his journey has been full of hardships. The 27-year-old had suffered the shocking loss of both his father and brother within a space of six months and even had to give up cricket for three years. However, today he stood tall in Ranchi, with his mother and sisters by his side, to showcase to the world the immense talent he has.
“I dedicate my debut to my father. I wasn’t able to do anything in life when he was alive, and it was his dream that I do something good in life. So, I dedicate this performance and debut to him,” said Akash Deep, dedicating his successful outing in Ranchi to his late father.
The batter had a false start, dismissing Zak Crawley off a no-ball. But it didn’t take him long to correct his mistakes. He sent back Crawley, Ben Duckett, and Ollie Pope to give India a smashing start. The pacer talked about his debut in the press conference as well. He said:
“It was very emotional for me. I lost my brother and father in a year. My journey has been tough, and my family played a big role.“
“Mere paas khone ko kuch nahi tha, paane ko bahut kuch tha (I didn’t have anything to lose, but had everything to gain),” said the pacer on his thought process before making his debut.
Editors pick
