His 6-for helps India beat England by 336 runs and level 5-match series 1-1
Birmingham: An unheralded Akash Deep, hailing from Bihar’s Sasaram, owned the big stage like never before in the absence of an iconic Jasprit Bumrah as Shubman Gill’s young India broke 58-year-old ‘Edgbaston Jinx’ thrashing England by 336 runs to level the five-Test series 1-1.
The 28-year-old Akash Deep took a match-haul of 10 wickets, including his maiden five-for — 6/99 in England second innings with the hosts getting all-out for 271 in pursuit of an improbable 608. If Gill, with his magnificent batting (269 and 161) set it up, Akash deserves equal credit for his lion-hearted effort on a track which was primarily a bowler’s graveyard.
The rain delayed the start of the day by an hour and 40 minutes, reducing the day’s quota of overs to 80 with England resuming their second innings at 72 for three chasing a near impossible 608. For England, Jamie Smith (88) fought a lonely battle before being dismissed by a slow bouncer from Akash, giving the medium pacer his first five-wicket haul in Test cricket. Fittingly, Akash got the final wicket of the game to complete a match haul of 10/187.
The other star performer, Gill, pouched the catch at cover, leading to an animated celebration of his first success as Test captain.
In Jasprit Bumrah’s absence, not much was expected from the Indian pace attack but Siraj and Akash Deep changed the perception with match turning spells in either innings.
The third Test begins at Lord’s in four days’ time and India seem to have most bases covered with bowlers complementing the batters here. Bumrah will be back and Akash Deep, who attacks the stumps from good length, would be looking forward to run in down the hill from the Pavillion End at the iconic Lord’s.
