India finally broke their Edgbaston curse in style, registering a memorable 336-run victory over England in the second Test — their first-ever Test win at the iconic Birmingham venue. The architect of this triumph was Akash Deep, who produced a stunning 10-wicket match haul and dedicated the emotional performance to his sister, who is currently battling cancer.
Brought in as a replacement for Jasprit Bumrah, Akash rose to the occasion, finishing with match figures of 10/187 — 4/88 in the first innings and 6/99 in the second — dismantling England’s batting lineup in both innings.
After the match, Akash revealed the personal battle that had been motivating him behind the scenes.
“This performance is for you.” – Akash Deep
“My older sister is suffering from cancer for the last two months. Now she is stable. She will be very happiest after all that she has gone through mentally and I dedicate this match to her. I want to see a smile on her face,” Akash Deep said to Star Sports.
He added emotionally, “This performance is for you. Whenever I picked the ball, only thoughts of my sister crossed my mind. I am with you. I want to see happiness on your face. We are all together with you.”
In the first innings, Akash got rid of Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Harry Brook, and Chris Woakes, keeping England on the back foot. In the second innings, he took out the top three again — Duckett, Pope, and Brook — and later claimed Joe Root, Jamie Smith, and Brydon Carse, wrapping up England’s chase at 271.
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