Bengal fast bowler Akash Deep, 27, is likely to make his Test debut during fourth Test against England in Ranchi which starts on Friday. Akash is set to play in place of Jasprit Bumrah, who has been released for the game to manage his workload.
Akash and Mukesh Kumar, also a Bengal fast bowler, are the two pace options to partner Mohammed Siraj for the fourth Test. But The Indian Express understands that the team management and selectors are likely to go with Akash as they are impressed with the way he bowled in the matches between India A and England Lions Akash picked up 10 wickets from two red-ball games for India A in Ahmedabad. Together with Mukesh, Akash has been a leading fast bowler for Bengal in red-ball cricket. Akash has scalped 104 wickets from 30 First-Class games, averaging 23.58.
Mukesh bowled 12 overs during the second Test in Vizag but wasn’t a wicket-taking threat on a flat track. His only wicket was that of No.10 Shoaib Bashir in the second innings.
In a press release, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Jay Shah said that Bumrah had been released for the fourth Test. “The decision was taken keeping in mind the duration of the series and the amount of cricket he has played in recent times,” Shah stated in the release.
