Introduction

Indian cricketer Akash Deep was born on December 15, 1996. He now plays for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the IPL and for Bengal in local cricket. On February 23, 2024, he played his first international Test match against England. He played three matches in the Bengal Pro T20 League earlier this year while having dengue fever.

Personal life

Ramji Singh, the father of Akash Deep, taught in government schools in Sasaram, Bihar. Akash persisted in the face of criticism from his family and neighbors for prioritizing cricket above academics during a period when the Bihar Cricket Association was suspended, which limited possibilities for aspiring players. Some parents went so far as to forbid their kids from hanging around with him. Akash stuck to his cricket game, even though his father encouraged him to study for government examinations in order to secure a job. Unfortunately, Akash's father and older brother died within six months of one other, leaving him to support his two sisters out of his own pocket.

Early career

Through the help of a close friend, Akash was able to join a cricket club in Durgapur, where he played tennis-ball matches and made around ₹600 a day, or roughly ₹20,000 a month. To fulfill his ambition of playing cricket, he joined United Club in the CAB first tier league in 2010. Growing taller, he went from being a frontline batsman to fast bowling. As part of India's Vision 2020 program, he trained under former Bengal fast bowler Ranadeb Bose, and within a year, he was picked for the Bengal U-23 team. But he sustained a back injury that threatened his career. Sourasish Lahiri, his coach, helped him recover.

Domestic career

On March 9, 2019, Akash Deep made his Twenty20 debut for Bengal at the 2018–19 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. He made his debut in first-class cricket on December 25, 2019, in the Ranji Trophy, and in List A on September 24, 2019, during the 2019–20 Vijay Hazare Trophy. He was acquired by the Royal Challengers Bangalore for the 2022 season after joining them on August 30, 2021, for the second phase of the IPL in the United Arab Emirates. Prior to being called up for his Test match, he claimed eleven wickets in tour matches for India A against the England Lions, including two four-wicket hauls.

International career

When Shivam Mavi was injured, Akash Deep took his spot in the Indian squad for the 2022 Asian Games. He was included in India's ODI squad against South Africa in November 2023 as an injury substitute for Deepak Chahar, but he did not participate. He played for Bengal in the 2023–24 Ranji Trophy and was called up for his first Test for the last three Tests of the home series against England in February of 2024.