A fit and recharged Akash Deep is all set to start bowling from Monday, at the Centre of Excellence (CoE), in Bengaluru. The fast bowler from Bengal was in headlines for his impressive performance during the recently-concluded tour of England. The 28-year-old pacer had to skip the ongoing Duleep Trophy matches after being advised to take precautionary rest by the BCCI medical staff for an impact injury he suffered during the fifth and final test at The Oval.
“I am feeling fresh and recharged now. I had a break after returning from England which was much needed. I am going to start my training at the CoE from Monday. I am not looking too far ahead of the series against the West Indies at home. First and foremost, I need to stay fit. Fitness is something which is in your control and I need to work on that aspect. Performances can vary but fitness is something that is under your control,” said Akash in an interaction with RevSportz.
Akash put up an impressive show, both with the bat and ball during the series against England. He picked 13 scalps from the three Test matches, including the 10-wickets in the second Test at Edgbaston. His contribution with the bat also did not go unnoticed as he played a crucial knock of 66 runs in the second innings of the fifth and final Test at the Oval. India went on to win the Test match by six runs to eventually level the series 2-2.
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On being asked which one did he cherish the most, the knock he played at The Oval or the 10 wickets at Edgbaston, Akash noted, “As a fast bowler, you feel satisfied to pick 10 wickets but the Oval knock was also special. I am happy that my contributions played a small part in the team’s cause. The most important thing is winning matches for the country. Had we lost the Test match at The Oval, people would not have remembered the knock.”
The pacer from Bengal has now played under the captaincy of both Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill. Sharing his views on the captaincy of Rohit and Gill, Akash said, “Rohit bhai has been like an elder brother especially the way he made me feel easy the first time I got an opportunity to play for India. He never made me feel nervous. I have played under Shubman before as well. He now has the experience of successfully leading the Indian team in England. He has a very calm head on his shoulders and that is a very good sign as a captain.”
The cricketer from Sasagram was recently in Kolkata to receive a special award from the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB), during the board’s Annual Awards Ceremony. He was presented the award by former India captain Sourav Ganguly. Speaking about the recognition, Akash said, “It was a very proud moment for me and my family. Getting the award from Sourav Sir was special. The award will motivate me to work even harder to achieve success in future.”
He added, “Eden Gardens is like my second home. I have spent 4-5 years now and everyone here is like my family. I would like to give my best whenever I get an opportunity to play for Bengal.”
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