NEW DELHI: When Akash Deep walked out to bat at Gabba on Tuesday, India looked dead, almost getting ready to be buried. The score was 213/9. Ravindra Jadeja had fallen without finishing the job after a competent 77. Safety still lay 33 distant runs beyond. A follow-on looked inevitable. But Akash surprised the cricket world.
Once his senior partner Jasprit Bumrah had powered a six over deep fine leg, Akash took charge. He not only defended with assurance, but also essayed square drives, struck back-foot shots on the up. He was unflustered by anything that Cummins and Starc threw at him. In his unbeaten 31-ball stay, he played only one false shot: a French cut off Cummins.
