Akash Deep
{{short description|Indian cricketer (born 1996)}}
{{use Indian English|date=March 2019}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2019}}
{{Infobox cricketer
| name = Akash Deep
| image =
| country = India
| fullname =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1996|12|15|df=yes}}
| birth_place = Dehri, Bihar, India
| death_date =
| death_place =
| heightm = 1.85
| batting = Right-handed
| bowling = Right-arm fast-medium
| role = Bowling all-rounder
| international = true
| internationalspan = 2024–present
| testdebutdate = 23 February
| testdebutyear = 2024
| testdebutagainst = England
| testcap = 313
| lasttestdate = 26 December
| lasttestyear = 2024
| lasttestagainst = Australia
| club1 = Mohun Bagan
| year1 = 2016 - present
| club2 = Bengal
| year2 = 2019–present
| clubnumber1 =
| club3 = Royal Challengers Bengaluru
| year3 = 2022–2024
| clubnumber2 =
| club4 = Servotech Siliguri Strikers
| year4 = 2024
| club5 = Lucknow Super Giants
| year5 = 2025–present
| columns = 4
| column1 = Test
| matches1 = 7
| runs1= 83
| bat avg1= 8.30
| 100s/50s1= 0/0
| top score1= 31
| deliveries1 = 881
| wickets1 = 15
| bowl avg1 = 35.20
| fivefor1 = 0
| tenfor1 = 0
| best bowling1 = 3/83
| catches/stumpings1= 1/–
| column2 = FC
| matches2 = 38
| runs2= 560
| bat avg2= 11.91
| 100s/50s2= 0/1
| top score2= 53*
| deliveries2 = 5,979
| wickets2 = 128
| bowl avg2 = 24.19
| fivefor2 = 5
| tenfor2 = 1
| best bowling2 = 6/60
| catches/stumpings2= 15/–
| column3 = LA
| matches3 = 28
| runs3= 140
| bat avg3= 12.72
| 100s/50s3= 0/0
| top score3= 44
| deliveries3 = 1280
| wickets3 = 42
| bowl avg3 = 24.50
| fivefor3 = 0
| tenfor3 = –
| best bowling3 = 3/6
| catches/stumpings3= 4/–
| column4 = T20
| matches4 = 45
| runs4= 78
| bat avg4= 9.75
| 100s/50s4= 0/0
| top score4= 17
| deliveries4 = 960
| wickets4 = 52
| bowl avg4 = 24.69
| fivefor4 = 0
| tenfor4 = –
| best bowling4 = 4/35
| catches/stumpings4= 10/–
| date = 14 April 2025
| source = https://www.espncricinfo.com/cricketers/akash-deep-1176959 Espncricinfo
| medaltemplates =
{{MedalSport|Men's cricket}}
{{MedalCountry|{{IND}}}}
{{MedalCompetition|Asian Games}}
{{MedalGold|2022 Hangzhou|Team}}
}}
Akash Deep ({{IPA|hi|aːkaːʃ d̪iːp|lang}}born 15 December 1996) is an Indian international cricketer.{{Cite web|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/player/1176959.html |title=Akash Deep |access-date=9 March 2019 |work=ESPNcricinfo}} He plays as a right arm fast bowler and right handed lower order batter for the India national cricket team in International cricket, for the Bengal cricket team in domestic cricket, for the Lucknow Super Giants in the Indian Premier League and for the Servotech Siliguri Strikers in Bengal Pro T20 League. He was born in Dehri, Bihar and grew up in Kolkata, West Bengal. He made his international debut against England in the fourth Test of the 2024 series.{{cite web |title=India vs England, 4th Test, Ranchi, February 23 - 26, 2024 |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/england-in-india-2023-24-1389386/india-vs-england-4th-test-1389402/full-scorecard |website=ESPNcricinfo |access-date=8 January 2025}}
Personal life
His father Ramji Singh served as a government school teacher in Bihar's Sasaram. He faced opposition from his parents and neighbors in Bihar for his passion for playing cricket over academics. At a time when the Bihar Cricket Association was suspended, there was no proper platform for budding cricketers in Bihar to pursue their career prospects in cricket, and Akash Deep was one of the victims of it. Some of the parents urged their children not to mingle with Akash Deep, as Akash was the only person to passionately engage in cricket in Sasaram. Meanwhile, some of those parents were cautious that their own children would follow in the footsteps of Akash Deep by abandoning academics.{{Cite web |title=Call-up to Test squad reward for Akash Deep's years of toil |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/ind-vs-eng-call-up-to-test-squad-reward-for-akash-deep-s-years-of-toil-1420625 |access-date=2024-02-11 |website=ESPNcricinfo |language=en}}
Akash Deep's father apparently wanted his son to appear for exams that would help him land a government job, but Akash was more keen on not giving up his interest in cricket. His father advised him to attend the Bihar police constable's exams or at least try for state government's Class IV staff peon job. However, he faced setbacks at a time when he was focusing on his career ambitions as his father and his elder brother died unexpectedly, leaving behind Akash as well as two sisters in their family. His father and elder brother died all within six months and Akash became the immediate breadwinner in his family.{{Cite news |date=2024-02-11 |title=From twin tragedies within 6 months, Akash Deep now ready to realise his dream |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/cricket/england-in-india/akash-deep-from-twin-tragedies-to-realizing-his-dream/articleshow/107593954.cms |access-date=2024-02-11 |work=The Times of India |issn=0971-8257}}
Early career
A close friend of him helped him to join a cricket club in Durgapur to manage his daily expenses. He started playing tennis-ball matches around Durgapur and earn INR 600 per day and he would earn around 20,000 per month playing tennis-ball matches.
He joined a United Club in the CAB first division league in 2010 to realize his dreams of cricketing career. He initially joined a local academy as a frontline batsman, but at the request of his coaches, he switched to fast bowling as he started gaining height over the years. He worked alongside former Bengal fast bowler Ranadeb Bose as part of India's Vision 2020 programme and he got selected for the Bengal U-23 cricket team within a year.{{Cite news |date=2023-12-16 |title=Akash Deep: From Sasaram to Indian dressing room via Kolkata Maidans |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/cricket/india-in-south-africa/akash-deep-from-sasaram-to-indian-dressing-room-via-kolkata-maidans/articleshow/106048341.cms |access-date=2024-02-11 |work=The Times of India |issn=0971-8257}} However, he faced a career-threatening back injury at that time, and he apparently received support from his Bengal U-23 head coach, Sourasish Lahiri, who looked after his rehabilitation process.
Domestic career
He made his Twenty20 debut for Bengal in the 2018–19 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy on 9 March 2019.{{cite web |url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/1175029.html |title=Super League Group A, Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy at Indore, Mar 9 2019 |access-date=9 March 2019 |work=ESPNcricinfo}} He made his List A debut on 24 September 2019, for Bengal in the 2019–20 Vijay Hazare Trophy.{{cite web |url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/1200640.html |title=Elite, Group C, Vijay Hazare Trophy at Jaipur, Sep 24 2019 |access-date=24 September 2019 |work=ESPNcricinfo}} He made his first-class debut on 25 December 2019, for Bengal in the 2019–20 Ranji Trophy.{{cite web |url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/1203481.html |title=Elite, Group A, Ranji Trophy at Kolkata, Dec 25–28 2019 |access-date=25 December 2019 |work=ESPNcricinfo}}
On 30 August 2021, Deep was included in the Royal Challengers Bangalore squad for the second phase of the 2021 Indian Premier League (IPL) in the UAE.{{Cite web|title=Akash Deep replaces injured Washington in RCB|url=https://www.cricbuzz.com/cricket-news/118798/ipl-2021-akash-deep-replaces-injured-washington-sundar-in-rcb-cricbuzzcom|access-date=30 August 2021|website=CricBuzz|date=30 August 2021 |language=en}} In February 2022, he was bought by the Royal Challengers Bangalore in the auction for the 2022 Indian Premier League tournament.{{cite web|url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/ipl-2022-auction-the-list-of-sold-and-unsold-players-1300689 |title=IPL 2022 auction: The list of sold and unsold players |work=ESPNcricinfo |access-date=13 February 2022}} He also took eleven scalps including two four-wicket hauls in two tour games for India A against England Lions prior to his test callup.
International career
Akash Deep replaced injured Shivam Mavi in India's squad for the 2022 Asian Games.{{Cite news |date=2023-09-16 |title=Akash Deep replaces injured Shivam Mavi in Asian Games squad |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/asian-games-2023/india-asian-games/akash-deep-replaces-injured-shivam-mavi-in-asian-games-squad/articleshow/103720504.cms |access-date=2024-02-11 |work=The Times of India |issn=0971-8257}} In November 2023, he was included in India's ODI squad for the series against South Africa in South Africa as an injury replacement for Deepak Chahar, but he did not play in any of the matches.{{Cite web |last=Sinha |first=Ravi |date=2023-12-16 |title=It would be a new chapter in Indian ODI cricket when they step against South Africa in their home with plenty of new faces, including Akash Deep, who replaced Deepak Chahar in the squad. |url=https://www.sportskeeda.com/cricket/3-reasons-aakash-deep-replacing-deepak-chahar-india-s-odi-squad-vs-south-africa-right-move |access-date=2024-02-11 |website=www.sportskeeda.com |language=en-in}}
In February 2024, he received his maiden Test callup for the last three Tests for the home Test series against England.{{Cite web |date=2024-02-11 |title=Didn't expect Test call-up to come so soon - Akash Deep |url=https://www.cricbuzz.com/cricket-news/129438/didnt-expect-test-call-up-to-come-so-soon-akash-deep |access-date=2024-02-11 |website=Cricbuzz |language=en}} He received the news of his selection while he was playing the 2023–24 Ranji Trophy representing Bengal.{{Cite web |last=Chandran |first=M. R. Praveen |date=2024-02-10 |title=Akash Deep says "was expecting" his maiden India Test call-up vs England |url=https://sportstar.thehindu.com/cricket/india-vs-england-test-squad-akash-deep-maiden-call-up-bengal-ranji-trophy/article67832646.ece |access-date=2024-02-11 |website=Sportstar |language=en}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{cricinfo|id=1176959}}
{{Lucknow Super Giants squad}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Deep, Akash}}
Category:Cricketers from Bihar
Category:Royal Challengers Bengaluru cricketers
Category:21st-century Indian sportsmen
Category:Asian Games gold medalists in cricket
Category:Cricketers at the 2022 Asian Games
Category:Asian Games gold medalists for India
Category:Medalists at the 2022 Asian Games
Category:India Test cricketers
Category:Lucknow Super Giants cricketers
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