Akash Deep took 13 wickets in the three Tests he played with a 10-fer at Edgbaston.
India pacer Akash Deep showed gratitude to India head coach Gautam Gambhir and talked about the backing he got from him and captain Shubman Gill on the recent tour to England.
Akash lavished Gambhir with accolades, claiming that the head coach believed in him more than he did. The quick bowler played in three of the five Test matches and was instrumental in India's triumphs in Birmingham and London.
After hitting an important 66 in the second innings of the fifth and final Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, Akash recalled a chat he had with Gambhir. Batting as the night-watchman, he and centurion Yashasvi Jaiswal had a 131-run partnership that set the stage for India's 396-run total.
"You aren't aware of your capabilities. See, I was telling you, you can do it. You have to play with this dedication always. Gautam bhai is a very passionate coach. He always motivates us. He believes in me more than I believe in myself, in both my batting and my bowling,” Akash Deep told PTI.
The 28-year-old fast bowler played nine more Test matches under Gambhir after making his debut in February 2024 under Rahul Dravid. He played in two Test matches in Melbourne and Brisbane while on the Australia tour.
Although Akash was unable to attend the Leeds series opener, he bowled India to a historic victory in the second Test match at Birmingham with a 10-wicket haul.
Akash gave Shubman Gill high marks for his maiden assignment as India captain, saying the young skipper never felt like he was playing under someone unfamiliar with leading India in the longest format.
"He is a very good captain. It's not like he's a new captain. He's already been an IPL captain for a couple of years, which is a big platform, and that experience counts. With Shubman as captain, I didn't feel like I was playing for the first time. He's very supportive. When a captain backs you and understands things well, especially when you're down, it makes a big difference.
I played in the Duleep Trophy under his captaincy last year, so it wasn't the first time. He's a cool customer with plenty of ideas, and when someone is calm, it helps in making good on-field decisions,” Akash added.
After making an impression in domestic white-ball cricket and playing ten Test matches for India, Akash stated his ambition to play for his country in both ODIs and T20Is.
"We can't just go and talk to selectors. They're experienced people and, when they feel they need me for any format, they will call. My job is to perform and be ready for the call-up," he said.
India’s next Test assignment will be against the West Indies at home in October.