India-Bangladesh Test Series: Cut above the rest

Akash Deep, the latest addition to India’s ever-growing pace battery, has credited skipper Rohit Sharma for his seamless transition from domestic to international cricket and said the exceptional work ethics of the legends in the team inspire him to push himself even harder.

The 27-year-old made his Test debut against England in Ranchi early this year and made an impression with a three-wicket haul.

When I came here, I witnessed a different level of dedication and hard work from the players who are legends of the game like Rohit, Virat. I realised that they have achieved so much and are still working so hard during training. This motivates me to work even harder. Akash Deep, India pacer

“When I came here, I witnessed a different level of dedication and hard work from the players who are legends of the game, and considered the gods of cricket like Rohit, Virat (Kohli),” Akash said. “I realised that they have achieved so much and are still working so hard during training. Their thought process is at a different level, this motivates me to work even harder,” he added.

Akash has gone through a lot in his personal life. Probably those tough days when he lost his father and brother in the space of two months made him mentally resilient, a key trait for handling the pressures of international cricket. He said the simple working style of skipper Rohit made life easy for him when he came to the Indian side. “I had hesitation initially that there would be pressure, but Rohit bhaiya made things so simple. I haven’t played under such a supportive captain. He keeps things simple, I never felt whether I am playing domestic or international cricket,” he said.

The pacer from Bengal has a lot of clarity in his thought process and says that thoughts of the future do not bother him and living in the present is his guiding mantra.

“In the last two years, I have played a lot of cricket. It’s not just a three-month season for us. Even after Ranji, you play Duleep Trophy, Irani Cup. As a player, you need to understand yourself and know your strengths,” he said.

“When we play at this level, we should not get confused that I played a certain style at that level (Ranji) and things are different here. I don’t put too much pressure that I need to go to Australia and all that. I live in the present. It remains simple for me,” he added.

Akash said he is ready for the challenges ahead, having gone through the rigours of domestic circuit. “The domestic format is so good that by the time you reach this stage, you already know what to do. You know what you are expected to do. There is no confusion as such. The idea is to put your learning into practice. I don’t find something new in it,” he said.

Pitch will have something for everyone: Curator

Kanpur: The Green Park curator said today that the wicket for the second Test between India and Bangladesh will be an ideal five-day pitch that will assist pacers in the first two days and aid spinners on the last three days. The Test is scheduled to commence on Friday. “There will be that Chennai match feeling. It will have something for everyone. It will offer bounce in the first two sessions and it will be pretty good for batting for the first two days. Then, the spinners will come into play on the last three days,” curator Shiv Kumar said. The black soil for the Green Park pitch, as always, has been sourced from Kali Mitti village near Unnao, which is 23km from Kanpur. The pitches made from black soil traditionally assist spinners, while red soil helps the pacers. The pitch is expected to play low and slow. Meanwhile, the Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association has decided to considerably reduce the use of plastic during the second Test in order to keep the environment clean. The UPCA has banned plastic plates for serving snacks inside the stadium and would only allow paper plates. PTI

Pant back in top-10; Rohit, Kohli slip

Dubai: Riding on a sensational century in his Test comeback, wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant re-entered the ICC rankings at an impressive sixth position but India skipper Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli slipped in a major shake-up in standings. Pant (731) was a spot below opener Yashasvi Jaiswal (751), who scored a half-century in the first innings. Rohit retained his place in the top-10, though he moved down five places. Kohli also dropped five spots to go out of the top-10 and he is now placed 12th. PTI