"Wasn't looking to save the follow-on" - India seamer opens up on batting heroics in BGT 2024-25 3rd Test
Team India pacer Akash Deep has opened up about his rescue act with the bat that saved the team from the follow-on in the third Border-Gavaskar series Test at The Gabba in Brisbane. He struck 31 runs off 44 deliveries to steer the visitors to safety, and helped them earn a draw to keep the series at 1-1.
After conceding 445 in the first innings, India were reduced to 213-9 when Akash Deep came out to bat. Amid the rain threat, Australia's best chance to win was to make India bat again, which was only possible via the follow-on. India were desperately trying to avoid such a situation, and were bolstered after Akash Deep and Jasprit Bumrah stitched together 47 runs for the final wicket.
The Men in Blue finished with 260, meaning that Australia had to come out to bat again. This took valuable time out of the game as rain ended up having the final say on Day 5.
“We come to bat lower down the order, so contributions of 20-25-30 runs are very valuable. My mindset is just to contribute. I wasn't looking to save the follow-on that day; I was just looking not to get out. My mindset was this, God willing, we were able to save the follow-on,” Akash Deep told reporters ahead of the fourth Test in Melbourne (via Hindustan Times).
“When you save the match from such a situation, the entire team gets the confidence and our dressing room reflected just that. Everyone was having fun and enjoying," he added.
The tail-ender's boundary to third man to seal India's safety was met with wild cheers from the dressing room. He followed that up with a mammoth six off Pat Cummins, which was quite a statement heading into the business end of the tour.
"He told me one thing, ‘Don’t get too excited'": India pacer Akash Deep recalls Jasprit Bumrah's advice
Akash Deep had to settle for a place on the bench in the first two Tests despite an impressive home season. The right-arm pacer had to wait for his opportunity as the management preferred Harshit Rana as the third seamer in Perth and Adelaide.
Akash Deep made a strong impression in Brisbane. He tested the batters with his fuller length deliveries, and his ability to get the ball to skid through. He toiled hard to pick up three wickets in the contest.
“This is my first time playing in Australia. Jassi bhai keeps on telling us things about how we can go about our job; it makes our job easy. He told me one thing, ‘Don’t get too excited. Just focus on your discipline. How you go about your job in Indian conditions, repeat that here.' He told me just this," Akash Deep said (as per the aforementioned source).
The fourth Test between India and Australia is scheduled to begin from December 26 onwards at the MCG.