Hyderabad: India's rising sensation Akash Deep revealed that Virat Kohli himself asked if he would like to own one of his bats before the former walked into the middle in the first innings of the Brisbane Test, ultimately scripting a rare happy memory in an otherwise devastating tour of Australia for Team India.
Akash Deep had decent outings in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 in terms of his bowling, but not with the wickets he took despite bowling nearly 88 overs (87.5 overs) for his five wickets across the two Tests. But his follow-on and eventually match-saving 31-run knock and 47-run 47-partnership with Jasprit Bumrah for the last wicket, the third biggest for India, at the Gabba garnered attention. India, however, lost the series 1-3 to surrender the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Notably, this was India's first Test series loss vs Australia in 10 years
Akash Deep makes sure India avoid the follow-on and then smashes Pat Cummins into the second level!#AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/HIu86M7BNW
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 17, 2024
"Yes, that was Virat bhaiya's bat, the one with the MRF logo, everyone knows," Akash Deep said, breaking into a chuckle during an exclusive interaction with PTI.
When asked about the sequence of events which led to that moment, the Bengal speedster fondly said, "Bhaiyya (Kohli) ne khud mujhse pucha 'Tumko bat chahiye?' (Virat bhaiyya asked me, do you need a bat?)."
"Maine bola 'Haan bhaiyya, aapka bat kaun nahi lena chahega duniya mein?' (Who wouldn't want it, Bhaiyya?) and then he gifted it to me," Akash Deep recalled.
The 28-year-old admitted that he couldn't be upfront with a senior player of Kohli's stature and ask for his most precious equipment. "I have been there with bhaiyya (Kohli) for some time now (they are teammates in Royal Challengers Bengaluru). But you always have that thing at the back of your mind, whether it is the right thing to ask for a bat from someone of Virat bhaiyya's stature," he quipped.
"Especially during match time, when he is focused and in his zone, you don't want to disturb him but Virat, on his own, gave me the bat," he added.
Asked to revisit his last-wicket stand of 47 with Jasprit Bumrah in the drawn Brisbane Test, the Sasaram-born cricketer said he was very clear with his plans.
"That day, my mindset was that I was ready to get hit and take any number of body blows but won't get out. I needed to score runs...I had to bat as long as possible. It wasn't as if (saving) follow-on was on my mind," Akash Deep explained his thought process.
"In my mind, I knew the longer I would bat, our batters would have to bat for the reduced amount of time in the second essay. That particular day, I was watching the ball well," he said.
