"Such a heartfelt moment right at the end" - Varun Aaron on Akash Deep dedicating his 10-wicket haul in ENG vs IND 2025 2nd Test to his sister

Former India player Varun Aaron has lauded Akash Deep for bowling a match-winning spell in the second Test against England. He noted that the Bengal seamer dedicating his performance to his sister, who is fighting cancer, was a heartfelt moment.

Deep registered match figures of 10/187 in 41.1 overs as India thrashed England by 336 runs in the second Test in Birmingham on Sunday, July 6. The third Test of the five-match series is scheduled to start at Lord's on Thursday, July 10.

During an interaction on the Star Sports show 'Follow the Blues,' Aaron was asked about his thoughts on Deep's performance in the Birmingham Test.

"Gets his first 10-fer with his first fifer, that is so special. Also, he dedicated that to his sister, who is suffering from cancer. Such a heartfelt moment right at the end of the game, but the way he has bowled, just used the crease so well, bowled with so much intensity on a very, very flat wicket," he responded.

The former India speedster pointed out that Deep made the most of the cracks on the Edgbaston pitch to dismantle the England batting lineup.

"It just shows that if you commit to getting the job done, you can actually get it done, no matter what the surface or the situation might be. I thought really bad decision by England to use the heavy roller on a track like this, where the cracks were opening up, and Akash Deep has made merry of the cracks and the chance he has finally got in England," Aaron observed.

Akash Deep registered figures of 4/88 in 20 overs in England's first innings of the second Test. He followed that up with a spell of 6/99 in 21.1 overs in the second innings to help India draw level in the series.

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"That set the game up for India" - Varun Aaron lauds Mohammed Siraj's spell in ENG vs IND 2025 2nd Test

Mohammed Siraj picked up six wickets in England's first innings. [P/C: Getty]

In the same interaction, Varun Aaron was asked about Mohammed Siraj's first-innings spell in the Birmingham Test.

"That set the game up for India because the first innings is where you take command of the game. You get the lead and you get England on the ropes, and that's what Siraj did, especially the third day morning, where he got those two back-to-back wickets of (Joe) Root and (Ben) Stokes. He had England on the mat right then," he replied.

The cricketer-turned-commentator added that the Hyderabad seamer's spell silenced India's critics, who were questioning the potency of the attack in Jasprit Bumrah's absence.

"Obviously, a very big partnership after that, but they stuck in, and Siraj did the job towards the end. He said that he has been wanting to get a fifer in England, every time he stops on four or three, and he gets a six-fer, and most importantly, solidifies this bowling unit and tells everybody else in the world and also the critics of the Indian cricket team that they can play without Bumrah," Aaron elaboarted.

Mohammed Siraj registered figures of 6/70 in 19.3 overs in England's first innings. He gave India their first breakthrough in the second innings by dismissing Zak Crawley for a duck, finishing with figures of 1/57 in 12 overs.