"Virat Kohli has told me that I generate good seam movement, but need more practice" - Bengal and RCB pacer Akash Deep on his IPL experience & aspiration to become a bowling all-rounder

Bengal-Gujarat, 2019-20 Ranji Trophy, Eden Gardens, Kolkata. Although the match ended in a dull draw, Bengal head coach Arun Lal seemed thrilled while talking to the media after Stumps on the final day.

The former India opener had said:

“A star is born. Watch out for Akash Deep.”

The context? Coming on first-change, Akash Deep claimed his maiden Ranji fifer (6-60) and stepped up to fill the void left by Ashok Dinda, who had moved to Goa following a dispute with the Cricket Association of Bengal (C.A.B) in late 2019.

Akash Deep soon formed a potent pace trio with Ishan Porel and Mukesh Kumar, and played a key role in propelling Bengal to their 14th Ranji Trophy final. Although Bengal missed out on the title on the basis of a first-innings deficit against Saurashtra in the summit clash, they unearthed two great talents in Akash Deep and Shahbaz Ahmed. The two players became the joint-highest wicket-takers for Bengal last season, finishing with 35 wickets each.

This year, Bengal look more determined than ever to end their 32-year-long wait for the Ranji Trophy and their intent is clearly visible in the brand of cricket they’ve played so far. After securing outright wins in all their three group matches – the only Elite team to achieve the feat this season – Abhimanyu Easwaran and Co. set a new world record while posting a mammoth 773-7 in the quarter-final against Jharkhand last week.

For the first time in the 250-year history of first-class cricket, nine consecutive batters registered fifty-plus scores in a single innings. Akash Deep, who’s better known for his sharp pace and hit-the-deck bowling, surprised everyone with his batting pyrotechnics as he smashed eight sixes en route to scoring an unbeaten 18-ball 53.

Currently playing the semi-final against Madhya Pradesh at Alur’s KSCA Cricket Ground, Bengal were 197-5 at Stumps on Day 2, trailing their opponents by 144 runs. Akash Deep (2-73), who scalped a couple of wickets on Day 1, will need to make a vital contribution with the willow and later dismiss a few more batters in MP’s second innings if Bengal have to progress to their second straight Ranji final.

Sportskeeda interviewed Akash Deep a day before the start of the Ranji semi-finals where the Bengal and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) speedster spoke about his newfound penchant for batting, his IPL experience, his interactions with Indian stalwarts Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni, and more. Here are the excerpts:

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Q: Nine consecutive Bengal batters hit fifty-plus scores against Jharkhand. When did you get to know that it’s a new world record?

Akash Deep: We knew we had equalled Australia's previous record after our eighth batter Sayan Shekhar Mondal scored a fifty. When I went in to bat, I was told by the team management that if I made a fifty, it would be a new world record. I was not thinking about the milestone though. I just wanted to get some quick runs so that we could declare as soon as possible.

Q: Bengal’s tailenders have made some significant contributions with the bat this season. Head coach Arun Lal has emphasized that Bengal’s lower-order batting needs to be more productive for them to become a champion side. How much have you been working on your batting of late?

Akash Deep: I didn’t think much about my batting before, but now I realize the importance of lower-order batting. Currently in world cricket, lower-order batters score a lot of runs as it becomes easier to bat once the ball gets old. If I have to do well for the team and myself, I need to score more runs.

Q: You hit eight sixes against Jharkhand. Would you call yourself an all-rounder now?

Akash Deep: I want to become a bowling all-rounder who can score some useful runs lower down the order.

Q: Bengal are the only team to have got their opponents all out every time they’ve bowled this season. What has been the secret behind this bowling attack’s success?

Akash Deep: The Bengal team has a congenial atmosphere where the bowlers enjoy each other’s success. When Ishan and Mukesh bhai open the bowling for the team, I hope they take all the wickets so that I don’t have to bowl at all (laughs)! I’m sure they think the same way when it’s my turn to bowl. I take pride in their success and they take pride in mine. We love hunting in a pack.

Q: Hailing from Bihar’s Sasaram village, what’s your take on the insider-versus-outsider debate in Bengal cricket?

Akash Deep: The amount of love and respect that Bengal has given me is unparalleled. I don’t know why people keep talking about this, but I’ve never felt that I’m an outsider. Even playing for Bihar wouldn’t have given me the same kind of recognition that I have here. Everyone around me has been very supportive. Had that not been the case, I couldn’t have come so far.

Q: Arun Lal told Sportskeeda in March that Bengal’s bowling attack is the best in the country at present. Since this pace trio is still young in terms of experience, how do you guard against complacency?

Akash Deep: Winning the Ranji Trophy is a big thing for any team, so there’s no room for complacency. We’ve been following a particular process, which has proved fruitful. We just need to take one session at a time and not think too far ahead. If we can stick to the process and our strengths, we can defeat any team in the country.

Q: This is Abhimanyu Easwaran’s second Ranji season as Bengal captain. How much has he improved as a leader?

Akash Deep: Abhimanyu is the best captain I’ve ever played under.

Q: Including Faf du Plessis?

Akash Deep: Yeah. Abhimanyu soaks in all the pressure due to which we can enjoy ourselves on the field. He gives every bowler a plan and doesn’t scold us if things go wrong at times. He always tells us to bowl to our strengths and has a fair idea of what each bowler can offer. Hence, we’ve been doing so well ever since he was appointed Bengal captain.

Q: I was watching one of your recent interviews where you said that the lockdown in 2020 left you mentally exhausted. How did you cope with the phase?

Akash Deep: I was full of confidence after my debut season in the Ranji Trophy. I was also named in the Rest of India squad for the 2019-20 Irani Cup. However, everything changed with the outbreak of the first wave of COVID-19. I was in my village during the lockdown and I couldn’t train there properly as there are no training facilities. I hurt myself while training on the village roads, so I had to stay away from the sport for many days.

Cricket is all about regular practice and rhythm, which I didn’t get during the lockdown. I was quite inexperienced back then, so I didn’t know how to make the most of my limited resources. It was a very challenging period for me both physically and mentally.

Q: Speaking of injuries, have your interactions with Basu Shanker at RCB helped you better understand the methods of injury prevention and recovery?

Akash Deep: Basu sir has made a huge difference to my outlook. He encourages me to not only work on the physical aspect of my game, but also the mental side of it. At this level, you need to be mentally very tough as every match pits you against top-quality players.

Q: This was your first full season at RCB. How was the experience?

Akash Deep: The experience was great! It was a dream come true for me to represent the IPL team I grew up admiring the most. Even after I was dropped from the team after the first five matches, I was always in contention for a spot in the playing XI. They used to take the final call on the morning of the game. All the senior players and the support staff gave me ample advice and kept me in the scheme of things throughout the season.

Q: Having interacted with international pacers like Josh Hazlewood, Mohammed Siraj and Harshal Patel, what are the areas where you think you can improve?

Akash Deep: I’ve now got a fair idea about the things I need to work on to play international cricket. If there are no more lockdowns and everything goes well, I’m sure I can overcome my deficiencies. Some things are not in my hands, but I can surely plan well and try to execute the plans on the field. I identified my weak areas after I was dropped from the team. I thought a lot about my game and sought help from both Virat bhai and Dhoni bhai.

Q: And what did they tell you?

Akash Deep: They told me that a cricketer has to be street-smart and trust their ability to survive at the highest level. Virat bhai also told me that I generate good seam movement like Shami bhai (Mohammad Shami). According to him, I need more clarity about my execution. If I want to bowl a yorker outside off-stump, I should be able to execute it effectively. To achieve that, I need more practice. Only regular practice can make you more confident. That’s what I’ve learned from the seniors.

Q: How far do you think you are from your maiden India call-up?

Akash Deep: Dekhte hai (Let’s see). I don’t think I’ve done enough as yet to deserve an India call-up. If I can upgrade my skills and have another great season with the ball, I may have a better chance of breaking into the Indian team.

Q: According to Arun Lal, you’re one of the fastest bowlers in the country. We saw Umran Malik consistently clock speeds of over 150 kmph in this year’s IPL. Is this the new benchmark for your generation of pacers?

Akash Deep: I don’t think so. Pace and skill are two different things. I’ll feel satisfied if I can bowl at 140 kmph with good movement off the pitch. Quality is more important than speed. Look at Hazlewood. He bowls around the 135 kmph-mark, yet he’s so effective. I try to learn from bowlers like him.

Not everyone can bowl at 150 kmph because speed comes naturally to some people. Bowlers like Umran are god-gifted. If I try to bowl over 150 kmph, I’ll get injured and can’t play Test cricket (laughs). I want to emulate Shami bhai and Hazlewood.

Q: There’s a page on social media which trolls pacers whenever they concede a lot of runs. How do you react to such trolls and memes?

Akash Deep: I don’t feel bad because only those who love you and expect a lot from you end up trolling you. When I do well, the same people praise me. A professional cricketer shouldn’t let these things affect him.