New Delhi: Reflecting on a moment from the recently concluded Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT), Ravichandran Ashwin pointed out that an advice from Virat Kohli caused Akash Deep to lose his rhythm after a strong spell of bowling during the third Test of the India-Australia series at the Gabba in Brisbane.
Ashwin mentioned that Deep was performing exceptionally well and unsettling the batters when he noticed Kohli approaching him with suggestions to alter his lines. According to Ashwin, the former captain’s advice, based on a batter’s perspective of troubling Steve Smith, ultimately backfired. Deep was soon hit for boundaries, which led to the pacer losing his groove.
“Akash Deep was bowling a fabulous spell at the Gabba. He was probably bowling his best, but Bumrah wasn’t. He was going through a wonderful spell of 3-4 overs. I was watching the game from outside. I saw Virat run up to him and say, ‘seedha daalo yaar, seedha daalo!’ [bowl straight!]. Immediately, out came a fielder and he went to leg gully. Aakash Deep bowled on the body and a couple of balls on the leg side, he got flicked and pulled. His rhythm went awry,” said Ashwin at the Amazon Web Services (AWS) AI Conclave in Bengaluru in an interaction with Harsha Bhogle.
“In Virat’s head, he thought that was uncomfortable for him, so if you do that against Smith, you will get him out. If you don’t understand a bowler, this is what happens. But if you understand a bowler, you know he’s going through a good spell, allow him to build on that spell,” Ashwin added.
For those who might not know, Steve Smith ended his dry spell with a century in the first innings of the Gabba Test, contributing significantly to Australia’s massive score of 445. Travis Head also added to the team’s total with a century. Akash Deep, despite bowling 29.5 overs and conceding 95 runs, managed only one wicket in that innings.
Akash Deep played two matches during the series, and while he consistently posed a challenge to the Australian batters, luck was not on his side. The 28-year-old claimed just five wickets across two matches (four innings) at an average of 54. He was unable to play in the fifth Test at Sydney due to a back injury.
Ashwin, who was sidelined for the Gabba Test, made an announcement of his retirement from international cricket shortly after the match concluded. The legendary Indian cricketer was not included in India’s playing XI for the series opener in Perth, but he did make a return for the pink-ball Test at Adelaide, which ultimately turned out to be his last appearance for the national team.
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