Akash Deep does to England what no other bowler in Test cricket has in 49 years; Akram, McGrath, Warne not even close

Hindustan Times

6 hours ago

Akash Deep has often found himself at the other end of the stick. Since his India debut last year – incidentally against England – the India pacer has played just 8 matches. And this is when he hasn't done much wrong. In all honesty, though, by no fault of his own. As the selection process in the Indian cricket team dictates, people higher in the pecking order get preference. Despite Akash's promise, those who have played before him tend to get more chances. Which means that Akash, at best, will be India's third seamer after Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj, or, in the instance of the Leeds Test, even behind Prasidh Krishna. When one of them is rested or given a break, and India pick three frontline seamers, that's when Akash comes in. Akash Deep… remember the name.(Reuters)
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But how can you keep him out of India's Playing XI, especially given the piece of history he has taken with him during his four-wicket burst against England on Day 5 of the Edgbaston Test? Akash stood out in Bumrah's absence, first finishing with a four-wicket haul in the first innings and then adding four more in the second to push England all but out of the match. In the second innings in particular, Akash produced a brilliant piece of bowling, which now puts him in the elite company of the legendary Michael Holding. Wonder how? Well, we'll solve your query right away. When he dismissed Harry Brook out LBW for 23, it marked the first instance of a bowler dismissing four out of England's top five batters in a Test match inning since Holding did it in 1976. It's taken almost 50 years, but Akash has done what some of the greatest ever in world cricket haven't been able to.
How Akash Deep emerged as India's best bowler on show
Akash's first wicket was that of England's centurion from the Headingley game, Ben Duckett, as the left-handed opener played on. Shortly after, Akash produced a ripper to see the back of the dangerous Joe Root. And when play finally began on Day 5, he picked up from where he left off last evening. His deliveries jagged back after pitching, which Ollie Pope couldn't control and played on. The same thing happened to Brook, who had no chance of putting bat to ball and was given out LBW, the DRS not helping him. That's four wickets out of England's top five bagged by a bowler all by himself – no catches.
And to think of all the names that have graced world cricket since 1976. The legendary Wasim Akram, Allan Donald, Glenn McGrath, Muttiah Muralitharan, Shane Warne, Anil Kumble, Dale Steyn – players who have left behind a legacy for the next 20 years at least, if not more. Akash Deep, of all, can now brag about this achievement. This piece of information was verified by one of the finest cricket statisticians, Andy Zaltzman, for the BBC Test Match Special.
And hey, there's more to come. India still require to pick up the remaining few wickets, and rest assured, Akash would be eyeing his maiden five-wicket-hail.