"If you don't believe me, ask Harry Brook" - Aakash Chopra lauds Akash Deep's spell in ENG vs IND 2025 2nd Test

Former India player Aakash Chopra has lauded Akash Deep for bowling a match-winning spell in the second Test against England. He particularly appreciated the seam bowler for delivering sharp incoming deliveries, highlighting that those balls bamboozled Harry Brook in both innings.

India registered a comprehensive 336-run win in the second Test against England in Birmingham on Sunday, July 6. Deep registered figures of 6/99 in 21.1 overs in the second innings as the hosts were bundled out for 271 in pursuit of a 608-run target.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel 'Aakash Chopra,' the former India opener praised Deep for delivering a penetrative spell, pointing out that accomplished batters like Brook were beaten all ends up by deliveries that seamed in sharply.

"Akash Deep's story is very interesting. Of course, he bowled extremely well, which all of us saw. The ball moves after pitching. In fact, he is more of a seam bowler. There are two kinds of bowlers. One swings the ball in the air, and the other bowler keeps the ball straight in the air, but the ball moves left or right after pitching. He falls in the second category," Chopra said (2:25).

"His ball comes almost straight in the air, and then comes in very sharply after pitching. If you don't believe me, ask Harry Brook because he couldn't figure out the ball at all. It pitched and came in quickly, not once, but in both innings, and on a flat pitch. He bowled consistently with that penetration. The new ball suits him more, but he has been consistent," he added.

Akash Deep registered figures of 4/88 in 20 overs in England's first innings. He castled Harry Brook for a 234-ball 158 in the first innings and trapped him plumb in front of the wickets for a 31-ball 23 in the second innings.

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"His story is beautiful" - Aakash Chopra on Akash Deep's cricketing journey

Akash Deep is only the second Indian to pick up a 10-wicket haul in a Test in England. [P/C: Getty]

In the same video, Aakash Chopra noted that Akash Deep has had a difficult journey as he had to move to Bengal from Bihar to pursue his cricket.

"His story is beautiful. The most beautiful part of that story is that he comes from Bihar, and neither did he have too much scope for playing cricket there nor did he get any encouragement from his family. He went to Bengal, saying he would work, but was pursuing cricket," he said (3:10).

The cricketer-turned-commentator added that the right-arm seamer had stopped playing cricket for a while as he suffered multiple bereavements.

"He was getting a monthly stipend of ₹10,000 from a club, and then he lost his father. Both his father and elder brother passed away, and in a gap of just two months. He had to put a temporary halt to his cricket, but then he started again," Chopra observed.

Chopra pointed out that Deep also had to overcome the sad news of his sister's ill health while delivering his potent spell in Birmingham.

"He has pursued his dream. Now he has taken a 10-wicket haul. He has been absolutely phenomenal and has had a phenomenal journey as well. Now also, the elder sister has cancer. Why does the sorrow not end? He dedicated this 10-wicket haul to his sister. Akash has shone like a Deep," he elaborated.

To conclude, Aakash Chopra wondered what would have happened had Akash Deep played the Adelaide pink-ball Test against Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25. He also wondered if the first Test in the ongoing series against England would have had a different result had Deep been part of the team, although the analyst acknowledged that he too had picked Prasidh Krishna in his XI.