Subhayan Chakraborty in Birmingham
Akash Deep may not have found his name on the Edgbaston honours board after the first innings, where he claimed a four-wicket haul while Mohammed Siraj stole the spotlight with a six-wicket performance. However, on Day 4, Akash instilled fear in the English batters with his sheer skill, terrorising them with the new ball. He dismissed Ben Duckett and left ICC’s No. 1 Test batter, Joe Root, utterly clueless with an absolute peach of a delivery, leaving the hosts in disarray heading into the fifth and final day of the Edgbaston Test.
Akash’s prowess with the new ball is remarkable. Since 2024, the Bengal pacer has averaged below 13.80 in the first 10 overs, the third-best in the world, ahead of Kagiso Rabada (12.38), Josh Hazlewood (13). Moreover, 16 of his 21 Test wickets have come within the first 10 overs.
Like Mukesh Kumar, Akash is a product of the Cricket Association of Bengal’s Vision 2020 program. He made his First-Class debut in 2019 and, within five years, not only debuted in Test cricket but also played for India on Australian soil, earning high praise from Steve Smith. Now, he is tormenting English batters.
After moving to Bengal, Akash began his journey with United Club in the CAB’s Second Division. At that stage, his bowling was defined solely by raw pace. His first break came through Bengal’s Under-23 squad after a year of coaching under Ranadeb Bose in the Vision 2020 program. When Bengal’s coaches began working with him seriously, their priority was skill development. Akash’s naturally large palms and strong wrists allowed him to bowl with speed, providing a strong foundation. However, the coaches focused on adding tactical acumen to elevate his game before promoting him to the senior Bengal side.
Bose first taught Akash how to use the popping crease and angles effectively. What he has done for Bengal in Ranji Trophy year after year was on display in Edgbaston. In both the first and second innings, Akash cleverly exploited angles while using his strong wrists to seam the ball both ways. His hard work under the Kolkata heat, mastering different angles, came to fruition in Birmingham.
The delivery that dismissed Root perfectly showcased his execution: bowled from wide of the crease to create an inward angle, Akash used a slight wrist snap to seam the ball away, cleanly taking out the off-stump. Another hallmark of Bengal pacers, including Akash, is their approach against left-handers from around the wicket. They hide behind the umpire during most of their run-up before emerging just before the load. Akash elevated his tactic by jumping wide of the popping crease before releasing the ball, as seen in his dismissal of Ben Duckett.
After his four wickets in the first innings, Akash stunned the English dressing room with twin strikes in the second. On Day 5 at Edgbaston, he has the chance to deliver the final blows and, perhaps, cement his name as one of the heroes of a historic Test victory.