India National Cricket Team fast bowler Akash Deep is all set to be ruled out of the knockout stage of the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy 2024-25. As per the reports in ESPNCricinfo, it is learned that the fast bowler will be heading to the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru for rehabilitation.
Akash Deep will be missing the game for Bengal against Haryana, set to be played on January 9 in Vadodara. This comes after the India National Cricket Team fast bowler suffered an injury during the fourth game of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne.
Akash Deep played two games for India in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25
Deep, who was part of the India National Cricket Team squad for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25, didn’t start the series. In his place, the team management preferred Harshit Rana for the first two games of the series in Perth and Adelaide.
Deep was included in the Indian XI for the third game of the series at the Gabba in Brisbane. The fast bowler was the most unlucky pacer in the team, as, despite bowling good lines and lengths, he hardly picked any wickets in the two games he played.
Akash Deep bowled a total of 77.5 overs in the Gabba Test and Melbourne Tests, picking five wickets in the series
Deep bowled a total of 77.5 overs in the Gabba Test and Melbourne Tests but managed to take five wickets at an unimpressive average of 54. He had catches dropped off his bowling, he beat edges ample of time, and also edges didn’t carry as well which made things tough for him.
Ahead of the Sydney Test, Deep then got injured as well and Prasidh Krishna replaced him in the team for the final match. Overall, the fast bowler has a decent record of India in the longest format of the game. He has picked 15 wickets at an average of 35.20.
Concerns over the future of Akash Deep
Recently, there were reports in the Telegraph that stated that there are concerns over the future of Deep. A BCCI official stated that if the pacer continues to be in and out of the XI then chances of him cementing his place in the India National Cricket Team would be tough.
The reports also added that dodgy back, which has been troubling Akash Deep since 2019, and along with the performances, he needs to manage that as well. With Prasidh Krishna and Harshit Rana doing a decent job, the future might not be right for Deep.
Akash Deep getting injured marks the second injury for the India National Cricket Team after the Test series against the Australia National Cricket Team. After the final game of the series, it was Jasprit Bumrah who got injured as well, and there is no clarity about his fitness so far.
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