"He justified his selection" - RP Singh lauds Akash Deep's spell on Day 1 of 4th IND vs ENG Test

RP Singh has lauded Akash Deep for proving the Indian team management's call of fielding him as the second seamer in the fourth Test against England right.

With Jasprit Bumrah rested for the game, the debutant was preferred over Mukesh Kumar as Mohammed Siraj's new-ball partner. He registered figures of 3/70 in 17 overs as England posted 302/7 in their first innings by Stumps on Day 1 (Friday, February 23) in Ranchi.

During a discussion on Colors Cineplex, RP Singh was asked about Akash Deep getting the rewards for his hard work in domestic cricket. He responded:

"It's a huge challenge to leave your state and play from another state, especially in our country, where there are so many players and everyone wants their spot. When you go to another state, you get less opportunities.

He made the most of those chances, performed there, and he got the reward for those performances today. He justified his selection. He made the best impact a fast bowler could on this slow and low track." the former India pacer added.

Akash Deep, who was born in Bihar, made his Ranji Trophy debut for Bengal in December 2019. The right-arm seamer scalped 104 wickets in 30 first-class games before his Test debut.

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"He found the length that would hit the top of the off-stump on this Ranchi wicket" - RP Singh on Akash Deep's specialty

Akash Deep castled Zak Crawley on Day 1 of the Ranchi Test. [P/C: Getty]

RP Singh particularly appreciated Akash Deep for finding the ideal length on the Ranchi pitch. He explained:

"The special thing in his bowling was that he found the length that would hit the top of the off-stump on this Ranchi wicket. The ball was moving, so he bowled the maximum deliveries on the seam. We saw him bowling with full effort and with the right intent even in his final spell."

The cricketer-turned-commentator reckons the Bengal seamer's nerves had settled within the first few overs.

"We also got to see pace. He has a quick-arm action, which is not that easy to read. The best thing is that there are butterflies in the first match but they were probably calmed in the first one or two overs itself," RP Singh added.

The Royal Challengers Bangalore seamer had Ben Duckett caught by Dhruv Jurel and Ollie Pope leg-before-wicket in his fifth over. He bowled Zak Crawley in his next over to reduce England to 57/3 before Joe Root's unbeaten 106 bailed the visitors out of trouble.