Akash Deep Sets Massive Test Record, Becomes 12th Cricketer To...

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3 days ago

Akash Deep scored his first Test half-century at The Oval, aiding India in the fifth Test against England.
The cricketing world bowed down to Akash Deep after he pulled off a terrific knock on Saturday at The Oval. A day after coming in as a nightwatchman, Akash scored his maiden Test half-century on day 3 to help India take control of the fifth Test against England. His gritty knock of 66 runs from 94 balls, including 12 boundaries, ended just before lunch when he was dismissed by Gus Atkinson.
With this effort, Akash Deep became only the 12th cricketer to score a half-century and take ten wickets in a match during a tour of England. He now finds his name alongside legends like Shane Warne, Imran Khan, Hugh Trumble, Keith Miller, and Richard Hadlee.
Earlier in the series, at Edgbaston, Akash delivered a match-winning performance with the ball, picking up 10 wickets for 187 runs – the best match figures by an Indian bowler in England. He broke Chetan Sharma's long-standing record of 10/188.
Despite having a modest first-class batting average of 11.48 before this match, Akash became only the fourth Indian to score a Test fifty at No. 4 in England this century. The others on that list are Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli, and Shubman Gill. He is also the first Indian nightwatchman to score a Test fifty in England since Amit Mishra's 84 in 2011 at the same venue.
Together with opener Yashasvi Jaiswal, Akash added 107 runs for the third wicket. This stand was not just important for the match but also created a new record. It became the 18th 100-plus partnership of the ongoing series — the most in any Test series since 2000, breaking the previous record of 17 set during the 2003-04 Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
India started Day 3 at 75 for 2, with Jaiswal on 51* and Akash Deep on 4*. By lunch, they had taken the score to 189/3, giving India a strong 166-run lead. Akash's innings was full of intent and courage, and his efforts were widely applauded by the Indian dressing room.
(With Agency Inputs)
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