Kolkata : Bengal pacer Akashdeep Singh has emerged as big saviour in India’s Batting performance at Border Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25.
28 years old Akashdeep is known for his bowling and wicket taking abilities and played pivotal role in Domestic Cricket for Bengal as well as Indian Cricket team, taking big wickets at regular intervals. He has 10 wickets in 4 Test Matches, 121 FC wickets, 42 List A wickets to his name.
He is hardly known for his Batting, with only one half century in FC Cricket, and averages less than 13 in across all forms of Cricket. Although he has displayed long hitting abilities, his Batting skills aren’t much talked about.
However, he, Batting at number 11 for India in 3rd Test’s Day 4, played vital role in India’s lineup.
India were 213-9 after Australia posted 445 runs on board & required 23 runs to avoid follow-on, which could have put India to trouble and probably on verge 2nd consecutive defeat in this Test Series.
In came Akashdeep Singh at number 11 with Jasprit Bumrah at other end. Despite being a bowler, his defenses and confident drives for singles looked as perfect as proper Batter and off middle off the Bat.
He played 31 Balls scoring 27* runs in front of raging Aussie bowlers – Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon.
Forming vital 39(54) runs partnership along with Bumrah, he saved India from clutches of Follow-on. This could have probably saved India’s 3rd Test, with the duo still not out and one more day to go, Australia would have to come to Bat yet again for atleast 1-2 hours for posting big total, else the match will end on tie.
As soon as he hit boundary which saved India from being followed-on, the dressing room with likes of Virat Kohli, Gautam Gambhir and skipper Rohit Sharma leaped with joy. The whole Stadium applauded too.
Upon taking India out of danger, he smashed Pat Cummins for a gigantic six that landed in 2nd tier at on side.
Bengal, known for producing talents like Sourav Ganguly, Wriddhiman Saha, Md Shami, Shahbaz Ahmed, Mukesh Kumar, Abhishek Porel, Manoj Tiwari, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Anustup Majumdar, Laxmiratan Shukla, Pankaj Roy and so on who starred at big and international stages, has yet another pride added with Akashdeep Singh who has saved India from a huge defeat.
