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On Monday, September 30, Indian seamer, Akash Deep was seen batting with Virat Kohli’s bat, which was gifted to him by the former Indian skipper ahead of the Test series against Bangladesh. It is to be noted that the young Indian pacer shared the details of a special moment ahead of the first Test in Chennai against Bangladesh.
The Bengal pacer, who got a call in the Indian whites after a brilliant performance in the domestic cricket, received a special gift from his senior teammate before the Chennai Test. The 35-year-old reportedly observed Akash’s batting in the nets and decided to gift the bat. However, on Day 4 of the ongoing Test match, Akash Deep was seen coming out to bat with the gifted bat as he smashed veteran Bangladesh all-rounder, Shakib Al Hasan for back-to-back sixes.
Akash Deep hits Shakib Al Hasan for back-to-back sixes
The 27-year-old who walked out to bat after Shakib Al Hasan dismissed R Ashwin on the third delivery of the 34th over, opted for no run on the first ball. He then hit Shakib for back-to-back sixes on the next two deliveries, leaving everyone in awe. What was shocking to see is that the Bengal pacer had earlier addressed that he will not play with the bat as it “is a big gift from Virat bhaiya”.
Watch Akash deep smash two sixes off two deliveries in IND vs BAN 2nd Test:
Seeing the strokeplay from Akash Deep, even former India captain and batting stalwart, Virat Kohli was left impressed by the result. While Kohli enjoyed Akash Deep’s consecutive sixes, Rohit Sharma and Head Coach Gautam Gambhir also were seen appreciating it as the reactions of the trio is making rounds on social media.
Earlier ahead of the first Test, Akash Deep had said, “Virat bhaiya ne khud se bat diya that (Virat bhaiya himself gave me the bat). He must have observed something about my batting. I didn’t ask for it; he came to me and asked, ‘Bat chaiye kya tujhe?’ Who wouldn’t want a bat from Virat bhaiya? He is a legend. I was very happy to hear his words and wanted that bat. He asked me what kind of bat I use while batting, and I just smiled - I didn’t have words. Then said, ‘Yeh le, rakh le yeh bat,’” Akash told TOI.
During the same interaction, the Bengal pacer had added that he would keep the bat as a sovenir and wouldn’t play with it ever. “I will never play with that bat; it is a big gift from Virat bhaiya, and I will keep it as a souvenir on the wall of my room. I even got his autograph on the bat,” he added.
