India has been excellent in their pace bowling department for the last few years, led by their premier fast bowler, Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammad Siraj. But Akash Deep, since making his debut in the red-ball format of the game, has picked up vital wickets in the three games he has featured against England and Bangladesh.
On his debut game, Akash Deep showed his incredible skill with the line and length as he broke the stumps of Zak Crawley and trapped Ollie Pope’s leg before the stumps in his very first spell in the five-day format of the game.
When he came to his previous game at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, the 27-year-old showed his resilience with the ball, uprooting the willow of the Bangladesh left-handed batters on the first two balls of his spell. The angle he has been creating is praiseworthy.
Zaheer Khan dissects why Akash Deep is so successful against left-handers
The former left-arm Indian bowler Zaheer Khan, felt that the Bihar-born has contributed in all the games he has played in the longest format, making it easy for the primary bowlers to do their job.
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The question was whether Akash Deep has made a reputation for taking wickets in the very first spell of the game.
“That’s a really good thing. If your third seamer can contribute in that fashion, then it becomes easy for the primary bowlers, and it comes out as a positive. The unit looks quite powerful, so if you see on that note, Akash Deep should be praised.” Zaheer Khan expressed this during an interaction on Cricbuzz.
The veteran also highlighted that the medium pacer is using the seam position of the ball in a great manner, which is benefiting him in making the breakthroughs at crucial junctures of the game.
“Whenever he has got the opportunity, he has been able to earn the success at the beginning. If you use the seam well, then even if you come as the first change bowler, you can contribute so well in the game.” The former Mumbai pacer acknowledged. “I think that his strength is, and that’s why it looks to be a great unit if you look at the pace bowling department of the Indian team.”
The 45-year-old also pointed out that as a left-hander, most of the balls feel to be coming at you, and because the right-arm pacer is using the angle besides the seam position, he has been able to find the outside edge of the blade more regularly in the game.
“Yeah, the angle has helped him (Akash Deep) a lot (against the left-handers). As a left-hander, it always feels like the ball is coming at you, but as I mentioned if you use the seam better, then the seam hitting the deck can provide you decent movement. So, the outside edge becomes active, and they have got great support in the slip catching.” Zaheer Khan highlighted during the conversation.
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He also mentioned that the great fielding department of the Indian team, as he named Yashasvi Jaiswal, has helped the bowlers to be excited and charged up always.
“The good fielding that India has been showing always excited the bowlers a lot more. So, Akash Deep is bowling well, using the seam position and the angle of bowling in a great manner.” The left-arm pacer concluded.
It will be interesting to see if India carries him for the Border Gavaskar Trophy in Australia for the 2024-25 summer as the third seamer of the side.