Akash Deep Channels Grief Into Greatness And Helps India Create History At Edgbaston

Akash Deep Channels Grief Into Greatness And Helps India Create History At Edgbaston

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News18.com

Last Updated: July 08, 2025, 15:21 IST

Akash Deep's 10-wicket haul helped India to a record 336-run victory over England in Jasprit Bumrah's absence.

Akash Deep has proven his worth. (AP Photo)

India’s loss in the first Test against England in Leeds had put the team’s bowling unit under the scanner. Jasprit Bumrah & Co. failed to pick all 10 English wickets in the second innings, letting the hosts chase down a daunting 371-run target with relative ease. As the team geared up for the next battle in Birmingham, things looked far from promising.

Bumrah, the pace spearhead, sat out of the match due to workload management. The big question loomed – how would India win in his absence when they couldn’t manage it with him in the XI?

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Who would have imagined that a group of young cricketers would script a historic win on English soil – and that too without its stalwarts? But on Sunday, Shubman Gill’s Team India answered that question emphatically. They crushed England by 336 runs to level the series 1-1 and register a first-ever Test win at Edgbaston.

More significantly, India discovered a way to win without Bumrah, and at the heart of that triumph was Akash Deep. Just seven Tests old, Akash was drafted into the playing XI to share new ball duties with Mohammed Siraj, alongside Prasidh Krishna. The combination raised a few eyebrows. But what unfolded over five days was nothing short of magic.

Akash tore through England’s batting line-up in both innings, claiming his maiden 10-wicket haul in Test cricket. He became only the second Indian fast bowler after Chetan Sharma to achieve this feat in England. He picked 4 for 88 in the first innings and followed it with a brilliant 6 for 90 in the second.

The numbers might make him look like a rookie, but behind those figures lies a story of resilience, heartbreaks, and unshakeable belief.

Back home, his father dreamed of seeing him in a secure government job – perhaps a constable or even a peon. Akash would fill out those exam forms, but never truly attempted them. Cricket was his calling, even back then.

He left Bihar to pursue his dreams, settling in Durgapur, West Bengal, and playing for United Club in the CAB second division league. Just as things were looking up, tragedy struck. In 2015, within a span of six months, he lost both his father and elder brother. The burden of supporting the family fell on his young shoulders.

Still, he kept grinding. His breakthrough came in the 2019-20 Ranji Trophy season where he picked 35 wickets, taking Bengal to the final. Four years later, he made his Test debut in the home series against England. Since then, there’s been no looking back. With 25 wickets from 8 Tests, his best – 10/187 – came in Birmingham.

Yet, behind the smiles lay more pain. Just two months ago, his elder sister was diagnosed with cancer which he disclosed publicly on Sunday night, after the world got to know about his ability in foreign conditions.

“Every time I had the ball in my hand, her thoughts would cross my mind," he revealed on live TV, holding back tears. “This performance is dedicated to her. I want to tell her, ‘Sis, we are all with you.’"

Indeed, the hard work and the grind paid off, portraying him as one of the lethal weapons in India’s artillery. But picking him at the right time was the key.

Ahead of the second Test, former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan had told cricketnext that if India are not playing Bumrah in Birmingham, they should get in Akash Deep. It’s safe to say now that his prediction was spot on.

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“I think, Akash Deep is a right guy [if Bumrah doesn’t play]. He is a very much Shami kind of a bowler who has got a straight seam. He can actually beat the batters with surprise. He has got off the pitch zip. So, he is the guy who should be playing and if Bumrah is not playing, great," Pathan had told CricketNext at a select media interaction.

Akash Deep didn’t just fill in for Jasprit Bumrah – he announced himself to the world. In the toughest conditions, he rose from personal loss to script a fairytale comeback, proving that grit, heart, and belief can turn dreams into history.

About the Author Aakash Biswas A cricket enthusiast whose dreams of playing for India paved the way for a compelling journey in journalism. With a comprehensive coverage spanning international and domestic cricket across formats, I have had ... Read More A cricket enthusiast whose dreams of playing for India paved the way for a compelling journey in journalism. With a comprehensive coverage spanning international and domestic cricket across formats, I have had ... Read More

First Published: July 08, 2025, 15:21 IST

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