Years of toil, personal setbacks and the extended wait for a senior team cap is a story arc that many an Indian cricketer traces. It is no different for Akash Deep, the 27-year-old Bengal speedster who made a memorable Test debut (3/70) in Ranchi against England on Friday.
“Like any kid, my dream was to play Tests for India,” said Akash, who hails from Sasaram in adjoining Bihar’s Rohtas district. “I got my Test cap midway between the place I belong to and the place I play cricket for. It was very emotional as I felt that there was a responsibility on my shoulders to do something.”
Akash’s dreams of being a cricketer were nurtured in the industrial city of Durgapur (West Bengal) where he first went under the pretext of finding a job. The passing of his father and brother, however, took out three years as he looked to make ends meet and support his mother. But cricket remained his calling.
