"Aage badh, hota rehta ha" - Akash Deep recalls how Rohit Sharma motivated him after he took a wicket off a no-ball on Test debut
Team India pacer Akash Deep has recalled how skipper Rohit Sharma motivated him to move on after he took a wicket off a no-ball on his Test debut. Praising the Indian captain, he called himself lucky to play under someone like Rohit.
Akash Deep made his Test debut against England in Ranchi in February this year. The right-arm pacer knocked over Zak Crawley with a lovely delivery in the fourth over of the match. The wicket, however, did not count as the 27-year-old debutant had overstepped.
In an interview with Times of India, the Bengal pacer opened up on how Indian skipper Rohit encouraged him after the no-ball cost him a wicket very early in his debut Test match. Akash Deep said:
"Rohit bhaiya came forward and motivated me after that no ball. He said, 'Aage badh, hota rehta hai.' He asked me to leave that no ball behind and move forward. But as a bowler, you don't forget such incidents."
Praising Rohit, the Indian cricketer described him as the best captain he has played under. Akash Deep added:
"I always say it is a matter of good fortune and luck to play under Rohit bhaiya. I consider myself lucky to play under him. He is a different kind of captain; I have never seen a captain like him. He is the best captain I have played under."
The bowler also said he didn't feel bad about losing out on a wicket due to overstepping. He instead asserted that he was confident of getting Crawley out again. He elaborated:
"What made me feel worse was that Zak Crawley hammered Siraj for 19 runs after two overs. I felt bad because my no ball allowed him to score those runs. But I had a belief that I would get him out; I had some plans in my mind. I eventually got rid of Crawley. I knew I would dismiss him, and I was confident."
Akash Deep ended up with figures of 3-83 from 19 overs in the first innings of the Ranchi Test against England. He dismissed Ben Duckett (11) and Ollie Pope (0) before cleaning up Crawley for 42.
How Akash Deep and Rohit Sharma fared in the Chennai Test against Bangladesh
Akash Deep was preferred over left-arm wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav for the first Test against Bangladesh at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.
He impressed with 2-19 from five overs in the first innings, claiming the wickets of Zakir Hasan and Mominul Haque. The Bengal pacer had figures of 0-20 from six overs in the second innings.
While India won the first Test against Bangladesh by 280 runs, Rohit failed in both innings, registering scores of 6 and 5.