Indian pacer Akash Deep spoke about his interaction with England opener Ben Duckett after dismissing him in the first innings of The Oval Test. The thrilling fifth Test between England and India saw Shubman Gill’s side clinch a narrow six-run victory on the final day.
On day two, Akash Deep provided the visitors with their first breakthrough by dismissing Duckett. Earlier, England’s openers Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett had put together a strong opening partnership of 92 runs, putting pressure on the Indian bowling attack until Akash Deep finally ended their stand.
After trapping Duckett for 43 runs off 38 balls, Akash Deep celebrated by punching the air and then clasped Duckett’s shoulder to share a few words. KL Rahul intervened to pull him away. This send-off drew criticism from commentators, and umpire Ahsan Raza even issued a warning to Akash following the incident.
You miss, I hit. Not always will you win. This time, I win: Akash Deep shares his chat with Ben Duckett
In an interview with Revsportz, Bengal pacer Akash Deep opened up about a moment earlier in the match when England opener Ben Duckett confidently told him that he wouldn’t be able to dismiss him. Akash also revealed that their conversation after Duckett’s dismissal was all in good spirits.
“I have a solid record against Duckett and have gotten him out several times before. That day, he was trying to disrupt my rhythm by playing a number of unconventional shots. At one point, he said it was his day and that I wouldn’t be able to take his wicket,” Akash recalled.
“We were defending a modest total, so every wicket was crucial. When I finally got him out, I told him, ‘You miss, I hit. Not always will you win. This time, I win.’ It was a playful reply to what he had said earlier, all in good spirit,” he added.
In the same Test at The Oval, Akash Deep picked up one wicket in each innings. Meanwhile, teammates Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna took nine and eight wickets respectively, playing key roles in India’s narrow victory.
Akash was in excellent form throughout the series, claiming 13 wickets in three matches at an average of 36.46. His standout performance came in the second Test at Edgbaston, where the 28-year-old took a ten-wicket haul, becoming only the second Indian bowler after Chetan Sharma to achieve ten or more wickets in a Test match in England.
