Akash Deep revealed that Virat Kohli personally handed him the bat with which he hit two sixes during India‘s first innings in the second Test against Bangladesh in Kanpur. He also mentioned that the batting legend humorously requested the bat back when Akash told him he was getting “the cover drive feel” from it.
Deep scored 12 runs off five balls in India’s first innings total of 285 for nine declared. Rohit Sharma and the team secured a seven-wicket victory on Tuesday, October 1, completing a 2-0 series win. During a discussion on Colors Cineplex, Deep was asked about the challenges of obtaining the bat from Kohli.
“It was difficult, but I don’t know what happened to bhaiya, he himself came and gave me the bat, and asked me to play. I don’t know where he might have seen me bat. So it became very easy,” he responded.
The Indian pacer was also asked if he needs to return the bat.
“I told him that I am getting the cover drive feel from it, and he asked me to give it back. I asked him whether he would take the bat back and he said ‘No’,” Akash Deep replied.
In addition to his two big hits, Deep took three important wickets during the Kanpur Test. He dismissed Zakir Hasan and Shadman Islam, providing India with their first two breakthroughs in Bangladesh’s first innings, and he removed Islam again in the second innings.
“Virat handed him his bat, so he naturally found his form too”- Abhishek Nayar comments on Akash Deep’s batting
During the same discussion, Abhishek Nayar was asked what advice he had been giving Akash Deep while he was hitting big sixes.
“Virat gave him his bat, so he automatically got form as well. He actually impressed us a lot in the nets. There was a discussion in the first match about whether we should send (Jasprit) Bumrah or Akash Deep,” he responded.
India’s assistant coach noted that it was Rohit Sharma’s choice to send Deep in ahead of Jasprit Bumrah in the first Test.
“However, Rohit asked us to send Akash Deep because he was coming after scoring runs in the Duleep Trophy as well, so he is our in-form player. We have now put pressure on him that he needs to score a fifty this year in the lower order. So with bat, probably an upcoming all-rounder,” Nayar observed.
Deep scored 17 runs off 30 balls, hitting four boundaries, in India’s first innings of the first Test against Bangladesh in Chennai. He also made 43 runs off 42 balls in a Duleep Trophy match he played before the Test.
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