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The India fast bowler recalls an epic Test tour of England, and reflects on the challenges life has thrown his way

Shashank Kishore and Daya Sagar26-Aug-20254:33

Breaking down where Akash Deep can improve

In the weeks leading up to India’s recent tour of England, Akash Deep had one thought weighing on him: “How do I survive five Tests?”For over two months, Akash Deep had spent several nights in hospital, attending to his sister Jyoti who was undergoing cancer treatment. Diet and sleep had become luxuries. His training was haphazard. Cricket wasn’t the most important thing in his life at that time.It’s why Akash Deep spontaneously remembered Jyoti and dedicated his 10-wicket haul in his first Test of the series to her, after India made it 1-1 in Birmingham.”It was tough,” he says while in Bengaluru, where he is preparing for India’s home international season. “As such, a five-Test series is not easy. Especially if you’re a fast bowler. And at a time when I had to prepare, I was dealing with a lot of things.”Being in and out of hospital, your diet and sleep often go for a toss. I was actually wondering how do I survive five Tests because even during the IPL because of my sister’s treatment, my training was haywire for one, one-and-a-half months. Luckily, I got time in the lead-up to the series thanks to the India A tour, where I had 10-15 days of preparation. I used that time to prepare well.”It’s been three whirlwind weeks since Akash Deep’s return from England, where he played an important role in India drawing the series 2-2. After a dash home to see his family, he was away on a pilgrimage for ” (peace of mind),” and then visited his ‘AB Cricket Academy,’ which he had begun last year in his hometown Sasaram in Bihar.”When I was growing up, there was nothing here,” he says. “No ground, no practice facility. I didn’t even see a red ball until I was 17-18. My thinking was when I have some money and resources, I’ll try and help kids who aren’t from financially sound backgrounds. So that they don’t have to go too far away to train.”Not being financially strong should not come in the way of living your dreams of playing the game or getting opportunities. I’m glad I’ve been able to realise my dream [of building an academy]. I have a team that looks after most things, but I guide them and insist, if there are kids coming forward from disadvantaged backgrounds and have the talent, they should be prioritised.”Akash Deep took 13 wickets on the tour of England•Getty ImagesAkash Deep’s story is one of courage. Sharing a 150 square feet room with eight others in Kolkata, surviving on (lemon tea) to play club cricket, staying with his cousin in Durgapur in search of opportunities, losing his father and brother in the span of a couple of months, he has seen it all. It’s why he treasures every moment on the field. “If you find even a little happiness amid all your problems, it’s enough to bring a smile.”He wasn’t smiling on that tense final morning at The Oval when he dropped Gus Atkinson at long on and palmed the ball over the boundary for six. England needed 11 after that to win the series, India needed one wicket to draw it.”Maybe I could have tried to palm the ball in to save the six,” he says. “But I went to take the catch. Luckily in the next over (two overs later) we got the wicket [of Atkinson]. Immediately after I dropped the catch, there was really no time to dwell on it. Maybe if something else had happened I may have been thinking about it. Luckily I didn’t have to worry much.”I ran really quickly to Siraj [laughs] once we took the final wicket.”That was just one of several memorable moments involving Akash Deep on the tour. Earlier in the fifth Test, he had put his arm around England opener Ben Duckett and said a few friendly words after dismissing him in the first innings.”He had been out four-five times to me. Before coming out to bat in that innings, he said, ‘this time you won’t get me out’. I got him out and then said, ‘bro, now go and rest please’,” he says with a laugh.There’s a memory from Birmingham that stands out. He’s watched replays of that dream wicket on loop.”Joe Root,” Akash Deep says with a smile. “The way I got him (bowled). Set him up, and got him out exactly the way I wanted to.” For those who don’t remember, he pitched on a good length and angled the ball in, before getting it to nip away and beat the outside edge of Root’s defence to hit the top of off stump.0:42

Tendulkar: Akash Deep to Root at Edgbaston was ‘ball of the series’

Apart from his 13 wickets in the series, he also made a vital contribution with the bat, scoring a half-century after coming in as a nightwatcher in India’s second innings in the fifth Test at The Oval. Akash Deep made 66 in his partnership of 107 with Yashasvi Jaiswal for the third wicket, helping India set a match-winning target of 374.”Everyone expects me to contribute with the bat, but I haven’t been able to do it to all the time,” he says. “That innings, I learnt a lot. It taught me to not take my batting casually. When the team needs me, that time I’m motivated.”He also recalls his innings in Brisbane in 2024, when he helped India save the follow-on, to explain what he needs to motivate himself at times. “I think I should put extra pressure on myself as a batter to contribute,” he says. “That’s what it (The Oval innings) taught me. I was just thinking of building a partnership with Yashasvi.”They [his team-mates] were happy because the batters used to taunt us in a friendly way, ‘kabhi toh kuch kardo (can you also contribute once in a while)’, ‘dus to bana do, bees to bana do (make 10 or 20 runs at least)’, so I felt they’ll keep quiet now for some time [laughs].”Akash Deep is now at the Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru, gearing up for the two-Test series against West Indies from October 2. For the first time in months, he has the mental space to breathe, train, and focus on his game. He doesn’t have to go to the hospital at present and he’s enjoying the luxury of being able to stay in the moment and do what he loves most.

The Milwaukee Brewers are placing closer Trevor Megill on the 15-day injured list with a flexor strain in his right throwing arm, according to a report from ESPN's Jeff Passan.

The September injury to Megill is a critical blow to Milwaukee's bullpen, just weeks away from the start of the postseason.

The good news for the Brewers is that it is a low-grade strain for Megill, but it will take him some time to get back to full health, putting his availability—especially early in the postseason—in question.

Megill is 5-3 with a 2.54 ERA and 30 saves in 49 relief appearances this season for Milwaukee. He was named to his first All-Star team last month.

The Brewers hold the best record in baseball at 83-50 entering Wednesday's action and hold a 6.5-game lead in the NL Central over the Chicago Cubs.

The annual fixture will be played between the first two Tests in Perth and Brisbane

ESPNcricinfo staff29-Jul-2025An England XI will face the Prime Minister’s XI in a two-day pink-ball match in Canberra in late November ahead of the day-night Ashes Test at the Gabba.The match at Manuka Oval will take place on November 29 and 30, starting four days after the opening Test in Perth and finishing three days before the pink-ball Test in Brisbane, which this season is the venue for the day-night encounter instead of the traditional Adelaide Oval.It will provide England’s players a chance to acclimatise to the pink ball in match conditions in what was traditionally a one-day fixture before becoming a multi-day game in 2022-23 when West Indies were the opposition.Last season the game was reduced to a two-dayer against India but became a one-day contest due to rain. However, it still had a major bearing on the Test series with Sam Konstas flaying a century which played a significant part in him earning a call-up for the MCG.The PM’s XI match will be England’s only fixture outside of the five Tests once the Ashes begins. They will prepare for the series with a three-day game against England Lions at Lilac Hill in Perth, although that is expected to consist more of centre-wicket practice scenarios rather than being a fully-fledged match. However, tickets for the opening day have already sold out.Unlike the two matches England Lions will play – against a CA XI and Australia A – that run concurrently with the first two Ashes Tests, the PM’s XI contest does not clash with the Sheffield Shield.Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said: “An Ashes series is something every cricket fan looks forward to. Like many Australians I grew up admiring, and begrudging, the brilliance of players like Ian Botham, David Gower, and Graham Gooch.”I look forward to meeting with the selectors to finalise a PM’s XI squad that showcases the best available talent from across Australia to take on the strong English team.”

Mohamed Salah and Victor Osimhen missed out as Paris Saint-Germain star Achraf Hakimi won the African Player of the Year award. The Moroccan full-back collected the honour on Wednesday evening, sealing a triumphant year in which he won the treble, including the Ligue 1 and the UEFA Champions League trophy. The only blemish was PSG’s defeat in the Club World Cup final to Chelsea in New York, where he was forced to settle for a silver medal.

• Hakimi emerges as the best in Africa

  A visibly moved Hakimi thanked the people who had shaped his journey, including his family, PSG teammates and Morocco manager Walid Regragui. 

  "It's really an honour for me to be here today and I'm proud to win such a prestigious trophy," Hakimi said.

  His celebrations, however, are tempered by a painful reality as he is currently recovering from a severe ankle sprain. Morocco are hopeful he will recover in time to lead the host nation at the Africa Cup of Nations, which begins on December 21. If fit, he will spearhead their attempt to win the tournament for the first time since 1976.

  The ceremony turned into a showcase of Moroccan football’s growing influence. Ghizlane Chebbak won the women's African Player of the Year prize, edging teammate Sanaa Mssoudy and Nigeria’s Rasheedat Ajibade. Chebbak had finished as top scorer in this year’s Africa Women’s Cup of Nations, even though Morocco ultimately fell short against Nigeria in the final.

  Goalkeeper Yassine Bounou, hero of Morocco’s remarkable World Cup run and now a key figure in Saudi Arabia, claimed the men’s Best Goalkeeper award. Meanwhile, Morocco’s under-20 World Cup-winning side was voted the continent’s top national men’s team, further underlining the nation’s talent pipeline. The accolades continued with Watford’s 20-year-old midfielder Othmane Maamma named Africa’s Best Young Male Player, while Doha El Madani retained her crown as the best young women’s player.

  Cape Verde manager Bubista was honoured as Men’s Coach of the Year after guiding the island nation, home to just over half a million people, to an extraordinary qualification for the 2026 World Cup. Meanwhile, Nigerian goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie completed her own hat-trick by picking up a third consecutive Women’s Goalkeeper of the Year award.

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  Salah’s form under scrutiny as Liverpool struggle

  The awards setback for Salah comes at a time when his club form has slipped noticeably. His influence at Liverpool has waned, and the team’s attacking struggles have been laid bare. His output has dropped significantly as he is taking fewer shots and venturing into the penalty area far less than he used to. The Egyptian is far from the only forward under pressure. Florian Wirtz, signed as a creative centrepiece, has yet to tally a goal or assist in the Premier League. By all accounts, he is still adjusting to the speed and physicality of English football. Alexander Isak, who was acquired from Newcastle for a club-record fee, has also endured a frustrating start. Injury setbacks have restricted his involvement, limiting any chance for rhythm or consistency. Hugo Ekitike, who began brightly, has delivered flashes of quality but has been unable to pull together a sustained run of top-level performances. The collective downturn has placed Liverpool in a precarious spot, as they currently sit in the eighth spot with 18 points.

• Should Salah step aside?

  Former Liverpool midfielder Don Hutchison believes the time may be approaching for a bold reshaping of the attack, one that might involve phasing Salah out of the starting XI.

  Hutchison said: "The uncomfortable conversation will be around the likes of Mo Salah because there’s a way to get Ekitike, Isak and Wirtz into the same team, but it means there’s no place for Salah. You can have [Milos] Kerkez on the left and [Conor] Bradley on the right as wing-backs. Then you have [Dominik] Szoboszlai and [Ryan] Gravenberch in midfield. If you want to put a positive spin on it, every team in the Premier League would love Wirtz, Isak and Salah. Now Slot’s job is trying to come up with a formula to get all those three into the same 11, with Ekitike, because you can’t spend all that money on Wirtz, Isak and Ekitike and tell them to fight for their place in the side."

  He added: "They have to be starters now. I would be very tempted to play all three from now to the end of the season and play their way into form, into goals, into chemistry, into improving the league position. I know it’s a big jump from now to the end of season, but that will be Liverpool’s team and individuals going forward. That’s what I would look at. So the uncomfortable conversation is around why and how you don’t get Mo Salah into that team anymore. Perhaps the Africa Cup of Nations would be the time to try it!"

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  Pressure mounts on Slot to fix Liverpool’s fragile core

  Before resolving the selection dilemma in the forward line, Slot faces equally urgent issues in defence and midfield. Liverpool have become worryingly easy to play through, conceding goals in ways that would have been unthinkable under Jurgen Klopp at his peak. The balance in midfield continues to feel unsettled, with new signings still struggling to integrate. Salah’s looming departure for the Africa Cup of Nations next month may provide clarity, or further complicate matters, depending on how the team performs without him.

Football is a fickle game, but the feel-good factor has certainly returned to Manchester United in recent weeks, with Ruben Amorim’s men now in the midst of a rare three-game winning run in the Premier League.

While the prior win at Anfield may have been the cliched ‘statement’ performance, the subsequent display against Brighton provided even greater reason for encouragement.

Like the red arrows – or Sir Alex Ferguson’s beloved geese – United swarmed the Seagulls on Saturday night, with the frontline, in particular, simply proving too hot to handle.

This much-debated 3-4-3 or 3-4-2-1 set-up has no doubt had its critics, but the weekend triumph showcased what it can look like in full flow, with so many avenues available to hurt the opposition.

If it’s not Benjamin Sesko and Matheus Cunha, it’s Bruno Fernandes and Casemiro making an impact, with even the high press of the backline working to emphatic effect amid Luke Shaw’s involvement in the opening two goals.

Where Amorim’s machine currently looks at its best, however, is on the right flank, making it all the more troubling that the Portuguese will soon be without the dynamic duo of Amad and Bryan Mbeumo.

How many games Amad and Mbeumo could miss due to AFCON

There was a moment on the opening weekend that seemed to illustrate everything wrong with Amorim’s approach, with the left-footed pair of Amad and Mbeumo getting in each other’s way inside the area against Arsenal.

With both men looking to come in onto their favoured left foot, they had been occupying the same areas in the early weeks of the season. That has all changed since Sunderland, however.

There were shades of Yorke and Cole about the two men against the Black Cats, while they also combined again to devastating effect against Liverpool, with opposite number Milos Kerkez enduring a torrid day at the office.

As Amad has himself spoken of, there is a fluidity emerging regarding United’s right-sided duo, with the pair comfortable alternating between a no.10 or right wing-back berth mid-game.

Mbeumo, signed for a total fee of £71m this summer, now boasts five goals already for the Red Devils, while Amad has created two ‘big chances’ and provided one assist in the Premier League thus far, as per Sofascore.

Frustratingly, this developing partnership is set to be halted in the near future, with the upcoming African Cup of Nations set to kick off on 21 December. Amad and Mbeumo will be representing Cote d’Ivoire and Cameroon, respectively.

While festive fixtures are yet to be totally confirmed by broadcasters, United currently face Aston Villa (21st), Newcastle United (27th) and Wolverhampton Wanderers (30th) in late December, with further fixtures at risk in January should their nations progress.

There should be no pressure applied for the pair to forego their international commitments, however, with Amorim and co instead needing to find international solutions to help fill that double-barreled void.

How Man Utd can replace Mbeumo and Amad

As per journalist Samuel Luckhurst, the impending departure of the two widemen will likely see United block potential January exits, with the likes of Kobbie Mainoo and Joshua Zirkzee having been tipped to depart in the New Year.

In truth, the club’s attacking options are light as it is following the summer exits of Marcus Rashford, Alejandro Garnacho, Jadon Sancho and Antony, with Amorim unable to afford his frontline getting any weaker.

Thankfully, an obvious solution to the Mbeumo absence would be Mason Mount, with the Englishman – who was named on the bench last time out – comfortable either in a left-sided or right-sided number ten role.

That would then leave Cunha and Sesko to complete the attacking trio, with the likes of Zirkzee and Mainoo in reserve – while a surprise chance could emerge for academy sensation, Shea Lacey.

If Amorim is looking for a more natural replacement for either Mbeumo or Amad, however, it might be Patrick Dorgu who he turns to, with the left footer able to provide another “explosive” presence down the right flank – as U23 scout Antonio Mango has described him.

While predominantly deployed on the left flank following his January arrival from Leece, the young Dane has been ousted from that role of late, with Diogo Dalot slotting in at left wing-back in each of the last three victories.

It would seem bizarre to have a right-footer on the left, and a left-footer on the right, although that approach is working currently, ensuring Dorgu might be the man to fill that Amad-Mbeumo-shaped hole.

Indeed, prior to moving to Manchester, the versatile 21-year-old had regularly lined up as a right winger in Italy, with three of his five Serie A goals coming from a right-wing or right midfield berth, as per Transfermarkt.

An impressive ball carrier, like Amad and Mbeumo, Dorgu currently ranks in the top 7% of full-backs in Europe’s top five leagues for progressive carriers per 90, as per FBref, as well as in the top 5% for touches in the attacking penalty area per 90 – highlighting his willingness to get forward.

Too often, the £30m signing produces a wayward attempt when cutting onto his right foot from the left, with there the chance that he might well benefit from being able to cut in onto his preferred foot instead from the opposite flank.

Noted as a statistically similar player to Amad in this season’s Premier League, as per FBref, Dorgu might well be the man to replace the Ivorian in something of a new role, having only featured on the right a handful of times to date under Amorim – namely on debut against Leicester City.

The ten-cap Denmark international will have big shoes to fill over the Christmas period, but he might just be the international solution that Amorim is in need of.

Not Cunha or Mbeumo: Man Utd gem is becoming one of the "best in the world"

Manchester United have yet another world-class star on their hands under Ruben Amorim.

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By
Ethan Lamb

Oct 30, 2025