Akash Deep turned out to be India’s hero in the 2nd India vs England Test which the Shubman Gill-led side won by 336 runs. The 28-year-old pacer, who hails from Bihar but plays Ranji Trophy for Bengal, has so far played eight Tests picking 25 wickets. In the Edgbaston Test, he picked 10 wickets. With his great show in the second Test, Akash Deep is all but confirmed of a spot in the third Test in Lord’s too. Akash Deep struggled a lot while he was growing up as a cricketer.
Former Bengal coach Arun Lal recalled Akash Deep’s days of struggle.
“He used to live in this dormitory of CAB (Cricket Association of Bengal), which was a hellhole. Now, I’m sure it’s better, but he never once said that, you know, sir, that you should put the food there or the food is not, you know, in the canteen, and I am having this problem,” Lal told Sports Now. “Not once did I hear any complaint in three years, four years. It was unbelievable.
“I was aghast when I went and saw the dormitory. You know, it was unbearable. It was a bloody hellhole. I thought people would die of disease there.”
Arun Lal revealed Akash Deep’s talent impressed him from the beginning.
“I was part of the Bengal team, and Akash was amongst the probables. When I saw him, I thought he was absolute gold. There’s no question about it,” Arun Lal said.
“He had pace, he had stamina, he had strength, and most important thing I found in this young man was that he never complained about anything.”
Lal added that Akash Deeo was always strong physically.
“He was always a strong lad, much stronger than all his peers in the Bengal team, and he still is. His work ethic is beyond belief. He would send me videos of himself in his village running up the hill. There’s a mountain near his village. He would run up and down for training on it, and the area was surrounded by just jungle. So, he would do things like that, to train when he was in his village,” he said.