After a demanding tour during which his match-winning 10-wicket haul at Edgbaston stood out, Akash Deep’s bruised body needed time to heal from the impact injury he sustained during the last Test match against England at The Oval, forcing him to miss the Duleep Trophy.
The Bengal speedster will begin his net sessions on Sunday after his injury has healed. His goal is to settle into a rhythm before the Test series against the West Indies, for which he would be a sure pick if fit.
“There was no injury, just an impact. I will start bowling from tomorrow. I’m feeling good. I have been playing constantly for six months so the body needed a bit of rest,” Akash Deep, speaking to reporters at the Cricket Association of Bengal’s annual awards function where he was felicitated by former India captain Sourav Ganguly, said.
“When you go to England or Australia, it’s tough to play five matches. You have to be mentally and physically stronger.”
In three Test matches in England, Akash Deep bowled an outstanding 109.1 overs and claimed 13 wickets, including a 10-for in Birmingham. When it comes to the bat, his 66 at the Oval was priceless.
When asked about the delicate subject of workload management, Akash Deep made an effort to avoid making any spontaneous remarks.
“It’s not in my hands. It depends on the team staff and physios, they manage these things. They follow a process, it’s in their hands.”
Additionally, he avoided answering questions about why Jasprit Bumrah was only permitted to participate in three of the five Tests, as advised by the physiotherapists and strength and conditioning coaches.
“It’s a team game. We are part of a team. We don’t think about who’s playing or not. Whoever gets to play is focused on winning the match.”
Even though he had a fantastic batting performance against England in the last Test, he wouldn’t want to be called an all-rounder.
“If the team needs my batting, I will bat. My dream is to bring my best version and improve myself so that I can play across formats. But I’m not a selector.
“The 66 I scored in the second innings at The Oval was also important, but as a bowler I would always like to win the match with my bowling,” he made his priorities clear.
One cannot predict a 10-wicket haul, but the man, who is from Sasaram in Bihar, was able to do it with a little bit of luck and hard work.
“I never thought of taking 10 wickets when I was picked. I just had to bowl in my areas and stick to my discipline. Some days you get results, some days you don’t. That day it was mine.”
“But the bigger thing was that the team won after I took 10 wickets — that was the greater achievement.”
