While Deep’s name only began resonating in cricket circles after his 10 wickets at Edgbaston, his story stretches far deeper.
Born in a small village in Bihar, one of India’s most economically challenged states, Akash grew up believing cricket was a game for the wealthy. It was his childhood friend Vaibhav Kumar who first instilled belief in him.
“Cricket wasn’t very popular in Bihar back then. In our entire district, barely 20 to 25 people were playing leather-ball cricket,” Vaibhav says.
“Akash mostly played with a tennis ball, but whenever we took him along for a leather-ball match, he would always help us win. But Akash thought that only the rich could play cricket.”
Vaibhav, a cricketer himself, became convinced of Deep’s talent after watching professional players up close.
“We went to Jamshedpur, where a few Ranji Trophy and IPL players were playing in an academy. When I saw them bowling, I was like ‘Akash is faster and better than them’,” he recalls.
“I asked the coaches there to take a look at him, and they were impressed too. They said if not India, Akash could definitely play IPL as long as he works hard.”
But before Deep could fully commit to the sport, tragedy struck. His father died in 2015, followed by his elder brother just six months later.
With no primary breadwinner in the family, cricket was put on hold.
“He bought a dumper on partnership after saving some money from farming and used it to earn a living. His mother also received half of her late husband’s salary, which helped the family get by,” Vaibhav says.
Deep left the game for nearly three years, but his passion for cricket never fully disappeared. Determined to chase his dream, he decided to relocate to Bengal.
“My father was posted in Bengal, and we decided to rent a flat there. I went to different clubs and asked them to consider Akash, but they would make fun of me,” Vaibhav says.
“But I didn’t give up and requested one of the coaches multiple times to take a look at him just once. After seeing him, they agreed to play him.”