With Mohammad Shami still recovering, the selectors have turned to Akash Deep for the upcoming Test series against Bangladesh, following his all-round brilliance on a seaming pitch at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. The 27-year-old's standout performance in the Duleep Trophy, which featured pronounced movement in the air and off the pitch, secured his spot in the India Test squad.
Akash’s nine-wicket haul (4/60 and 5/56) for India A against India B, along with a crucial 42-ball 43 in a 275-run chase, caught the selectors' attention. His performance marked a strong return to red-ball cricket after his Test debut in February, despite India A’s eventual defeat.
"My last proper match was the Ranchi Test for India, and I had only played one IPL match since then. It’s tough to come back as a pacer after such a long break, but I’ve been working at the NCA and treating practice games like real matches to maintain muscle memory," Akash explained before the squad announcement.
The Bengal pacer has continued refining his skills during his time off, drawing insights from his state teammate Mohammad Shami and adopting an angular bowling run-up. Akash highlighted his first-innings dismissal of Nitish Kumar Reddy and his inswinger to remove Washington Sundar on day four as his favourite moments in the game.
"I was bowling from around the wicket to Sundar for a while, and since we’ve faced each other in the nets at the NCA, I knew I needed a different plan. I came over the wicket and got it to swing in," Akash recalled.
Akash also revealed how he developed his outswinger after a shoulder injury impacted his natural inswinger. Over time, he perfected both deliveries, which helped him excel on the Bengaluru pitch.
"I’ve learned a lot from Shami, especially about seam movement against left-handers from around the wicket, but my bowling style is my own. Our similarities come from working on the same techniques," Akash added.
With Shami still recovering and Bangladesh fresh off their impressive performances in Pakistan, Akash Deep’s form comes at the perfect time for India, as they prepare for a crucial series against both Bangladesh and New Zealand.