How personal tragedy motivates India seamer Deep

Why didn’t you instruct Siraj to bowl outside the off-shelf to take five wickets?

After the first innings of the second England vs. India Test, Bengal team-mate Shreevats Goswami jokingly asked Akash Deep to say that.

We must do that, Deep replied, “No, no, whatever the team requires.”

The right-arm pacer, who had only played seven Test matches before, finished with a five-wicket haul in the second innings, helping India clinch a remarkable victory.

Although Deep’s story extends far beyond Edgbaston, his name only came to prominence in cricket circles after taking 10 wickets.

Akash was raised playing cricket in one of India’s most economically troubled states and was raised in a small village. His first believing friend was Vaibhav Kumar, who was his childhood friend.

“Cricket wasn’t very well-liked in Bihar at the time,” he said. Only 20 to 25 people, according to Vaibhav, were playing leather-ball cricket in our entire district.

Akash typically used a tennis ball, but whenever we brought him with us to play leather-ball, he would always assist us in winning. However, Akash believed that the wealthy could only play cricket.

After closely observing professional players, Vaibhav, a cricketer himself, became convinced of Deep’s talent.

“We visited Jamshedpur, where some RAW and IPL players were exhibiting in an academy.” He recalls saying, “Akash is faster and better than them when I saw them bowling.”

The coaches there were impressed as well when I asked them to look him in the eye. If not for India, Akash could definitely play the IPL as long as he puts in the effort.

However, tragedy struck before Deep was ready to give it all up. His older brother came along just six months after his father passed away.

Cricket was put on hold because there was no family’s primary breadwinner.

After saving some money from farming, he decided to buy a dumper on partnership and use it to support himself. Vaibhav claims that his mother also received half of her late husband’s salary, which helped the family survive.

Deep retired from cricket after almost three years, but his enthusiasm never materialized. He made the decision to relocating to Bengal because he wanted to pursue his dream.

We decided to rent a flat there after my father was posted there. I went to various clubs and asked them if Akash should be played, but they laughed at me,” says Vaibhav.

The turning point was that. Deep was soon spotted playing in Bengal’s domestic scene.

He was “on the fringes,” he said. However, it was obvious that he had a remarkable talent. He had a lot of strength, a quick move, and a natural swinging ability. So we recruited him, according to Bengal’s current coach Arun Lal, an ex-Iranian cricketer, and he did a fantastic job.

“I’m rather disappointed that it took him so long for his resume to become so well-known on the international stage.”

Talent alone, however, was insufficient. Arun had to alter Akash’s perspective.

He “understood himself.” So the goal was to “work on” him rather than “try him out” and “get him to believe in himself,” says Arun.

He eventually made the IPL and the Test squad of India with his domestic performances before moving on to the next level. In the opening match of 2024, Deep took three wickets for England in his international debut.

His fortunes appeared to have finally changed. However, the situation was getting worse.

“His sister’s cancer diagnosis was made. He put his phone off because he was extremely stressed. Since he already had lost both of his parents, he was feeling mentally ill. She is now, thankfully, okay,” says Vaibhav.

Later, Deep dedicated his Edgbaston performance to his sister.

“She had a picture and thought in my head every time I picked up the ball.” She deserves this performance. Sis, we are all with you, I tell her.

After Edgbaston, Deep struggled at Lord’s and missed the Old Trafford Test with an injury, but his absence was felt by his replacement, Anshul Kamboj, who struggled to adjust to English conditions.