India pacer Akash Deep has come under the scanner for his unusual send-off to England opener Ben Duckett on Day 2 of the fifth Test at The Oval.

Duckett and Zak Crawley took the Indian bowling attack to the cleaners on a seaming pitch, adding 92 runs for the opening wicket in just 77 deliveries after the visitors were bowled out for 224 in the morning session.

Akash drew the first blood for India by removing Duckett on 43 (38 balls). Following the dismissal, the right-arm seamer put a hand around the southpaw’s shoulders and exchanged a few words, in what came as an unexpected send-off.

After the second day’s play, England’s assistant coach Marcus Trescothick slammed Akash Deep's 'strange' send-off to Ben Duckett, saying many in county cricket would have 'dug an elbow' into the bowler.

“Strange, really. I don’t think you really need to be putting your arm around someone, but nothing was really said, was it?" Trescothick said in the post-day presser.

“You just don’t really see it. We were chatting on the balcony there and I know many good people playing in county cricket would have said something or dug the elbow in, or something like that," he added.

Trescothick also addressed the heated confrontation involving Prasidh Krishna and Joe Root later in the same innings. While the Indian pacer drew backlash for riling up a usually calm Root, he clarified that he had only bantered him by saying the England talisman ‘looked in good shape’.

“He [Prasidh] obviously tried to get after him [Root] and spark him up a little bit," Trescothick remarked.

“Maybe they have seen him play so well over the last couple of games that India tried a different approach, and Joe bit back, as sometimes he does. Normally, he is the sort of guy who just laughs and giggles and allows things to happen, but today he just chose a different route. Everyone has their own method of dealing with that sort of approach, and today Joe bit back."

Coming to the Oval Test, India made a remarkable turnaround to finish with a lead of 52 runs over England at stumps on Day 2.

The tourists were skittled out inside 34 balls at the start of the day, and were firmly on the back foot as England openers Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett smashed an explosive 92-run stand. However, four wickets each for Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna helped India fight back, as England were bowled out for 247, gaining a slender 23-run lead.

Riding on Yashasvi Jaiswal’s quickfire half-century (51* off 49), India ended Day 2 on 75/2 after 18 overs, turning the deficit to a handy lead of 52 runs.