"The jersey changes but the player remains the same" - LSG pacer opens up on IPL 2025 challenge post injury layoff
Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) pacer Akash Deep has asserted that he is fit and ready to play in IPL 2025, having recovered from a back injury that kept him out of cricket for three months. The former Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) fast bowler added that he is confident of performing well for his new franchise.
Akash Deep was part of the Indian team that was drubbed 4-1 in the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy Down Under. The right-arm pacer played the Test matches held in Brisbane and Melbourne. The 28-year-old, however, got injured ahead of the final Test of the series in Sydney.
Speaking at a press conference on the eve of the Lucknow vs Mumbai Indians (MI) clash at the Ekana Cricket Stadium, Akash Deep shared his thoughts on making a comeback from injury. The Bengal cricketer said (as quoted by ESPNcricinfo):
"I feel the first match is very important for me. I have played one practice match, but in cricket when you get a two to three-month gap, no matter how much you practice, till you don't play a match, the confidence does not build."
Akash Deep was part of the RCB franchise last season. Having been released by Bengaluru, the pace bowler was purchased by LSG at the IPL 2025 mega auction for an impressive sum of ₹8 crore. Asked about representing a new franchise in the T20 league, he said:
"The jersey changes but the player remains the same and I am really enjoying my time with this franchise. I have not been with the team for long because of injury, but I feel quite confident.
"As an individual, you should believe in your process and focus on that process. The easier you keep your game, the easier it gets to perform. For this type of tournament, staying confident becomes very important for a player," he went on to add.
Akash Deep played eight IPL matches for RCB from 2022 to 2024, claiming seven wickets at an average of 45.57 and an economy rate of 11.67. His best of 3-45 came against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the Dr DY Patil Stadium in Mumbai during the IPL 2022 edition. The pacer got the scalps of Venkatesh Iyer, Nitish Rana and tailender Umesh Yadav.
"We have seen a lot of positives" - Akash Deep downplays LSG's underwhelming start to IPL 2025
LSG have had a mixed run in IPL 2025 so far. They have played three matches, winning one and losing two. In their last game, Punjab Kings (PBKS) hammered them by eight wickets in Lucknow. The franchise has been plagued by injury problems as well. Mohsin Khan has been ruled out, while Mayank Yadav is yet to recover from his injury.
Reflecting on LSG's performance in IPL 2025, Akash Deep asserted that it's still very early in the tournament, adding that there have been a few positives for the side even in the first three matches. He elaborated:
"In cricket, the performance is not often in our control as a team. We have only played three matches and the IPL is a long tournament and in these three matches, we have seen a lot of positives. Despite four fast bowlers being injured, the way we performed in the first match, I thought it was great. The tournament is long and the best is yet to come."
Akash Deep has the experience of playing 42 T20 matches in which he has claimed 49 wickets at an average of 23.46 and an economy rate of 7.71, with a best of 4-35.