Akash Deep, who startled England and boosted India with a 94-ball 66 as a nightwatchman in the ongoing Oval Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy on Saturday (August 2), was praised profusely by captain Shubman Gill, KL Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and batting coach Sitanshu Kotak.
India had lost two quick wickets in KL Rahul and Sai Sudharsan when Akash Deep formed a 107-run partnership with opener Yashasvi Jaiswal that lasted the whole of the difficult first session on the third day and laid the platform for India’s second innings total of 396.
This helped India set England a target of 374 runs to win this Test and the series, and the host ended day 3 on 50/1, with Zak Crawley being the batter dismissed.
“For a long time, there has been this banter between batters and bowlers. The batters keep telling the lower-order batters, Karo yaar, thoda contribute. I think, in this match, unhone aage peeche ki puri kasar nikal di (Please contribute a bit, man. I think, in this match, they made up for everything. We had just told him one thing: whatever ball is in your radar, look to score runs. These 66 runs are no less than a century," Shubman Gill said in a video on BCCI.tv.
Batting coach Sitanshu Kotak had similar advice for the bowler.
“He was in the lift with me when we reached the hotel. I told him, ‘Aakash, if you get any ball in your range tomorrow, then go for it and smash. Don’t defend compulsorily because you got out defending in the last two innings.’ I am so happy to see a fast bowler score an important fifty for us," he said.
Rahul, who made 532 runs in the five-Test series, was in a jovial mood talking about Akash.
“Most of the chatter is always about the bowlers trying to steal our bats. Just today, I had a brief chat with him to think like a batter and not throw his wicket away,” Rahul said.
Akash also spoke briefly in the video, revealing his mentality and thoughts the night before.
“When I went to sleep last night, I was thinking I won’t get out—a [good] ball can get me out, but I won’t throw it. Whether I am hit on the body or elsewhere, I’ll play. We needed to play out balls, and the partnership of over 100 runs was pretty special. For me, more special than the fifty is playing out two hours for the team," he said.
Here is the video:
