India and England are clashing in the fourth Test of the five-match series which began on February 23, 2024. This match is being played at the JSCA Stadium in Ranchi. India leads the series 2-1.
England won the toss and chose to bat first. India handed a Test cap to Bengal pacer Akash Deep as he replaced Jasprit Bumrah in the playing XI. Akash had a sort of dream debut as he clean-bowled Zak Crawley in the fourth over of the day itself.
But the ball was deemed a no-ball, breaking the debutant’s heart. But the pacer continued to trouble the England batters and results soon started to show.
Akash Deep picked his first wicket in the 10th over of the day, as he had Ben Duckett caught by keeper Dhruv Jurel for 11 runs. Then two balls later, Ollie Pope was dismissed LBW for a duck thanks to an amazing DRS call by captain Rohit Sharma.
Pope had moved way out of his crease to play the ball but missed. Despite being 3 meters out of the crease, the replays showed the ball hitting the top of the leg stump. While Pope had been given not out by the on-field umpire, Rohit Sharma opted for DRS and the decision went India’s way.
Zak Crawley seemed to make the most of the reprieve he got and was batting on 42 in 42 balls with 6 fours and 1 six to his name. But Akash Deep had his redemption, as he bowled a jaffa of a delivery to Crawley.
The ball pitched on off-stump and moved into Crawley sharply and clattered into his stumps through the gap between the bat and pad.
England was reduced to 57/3 in 12 overs, thanks to the 313th Test player for India, Bengal’s Akash Deep.
Check out Akash Deep’s first three Test wickets:
