India crush England by 336 runs, level series with historic win

Birmingham, Jul 6: An unheralded Akash Deep, hailing from Bihar’s Sasaram, owned the big stage like never before in the absence of an iconic Jasprit Bumrah as Shubman Gill’s young India broke the 58-year-old ‘Edgbaston Jinx’, thrashing England by 336 runs to level the five-Test series 1-1. The 28-year-old Akash Deep took a match haul of 10 wickets, including his maiden five-for – 6/99 in England’s second innings with the hosts getting all out for 271 in pursuit of an improbable 608. If Gill, with his magnificent batting (269 and 161), set it up, Akash deserves equal credit for his lion-hearted effort on a track which was primarily a bowler’s graveyard.

The rain delayed the start of the day by an hour and 40 minutes, reducing the day’s quota of overs to 80, with England resuming their second innings at 72 for three, chasing a near impossible 608.

If Mohammed Siraj (7 wickets and catches) bowled like the leader of the attack in the first innings, Akash Deep built on his first innings gains to strike twice with the new ball early on day five.

Once not having enough opportunities in a nondescript town in Bihar, the journey hasn’t been a bed of roses for the son of a government school teacher, who would survive on pocket money earned by playing tennis ball cricket before scouts in Bengal saw his potential and fast-tracked him into the age-group system seven years back. He played his debut first-class game for Bengal during Christmas in 2019.

In less than six years, his sharp incutters from length that fooled Joe Root, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope and Harry Brook didn’t let his skipper miss the peerless Bumrah.

Akash came into the tour knowing that his sister was suffering from cancer, and he felt that every time he sprinted towards the pitch, the visions of his ailing sister crossed his mind.