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Vernon Philander was suffering from a toothache last night but he was incisive with the ball, before shoring up a South Africa collapse with a defiant innings

Firdose Moonda in Johannesburg19-Dec-20130:00

‘Philander ran in with purpose today’

Close to midnight after the first day of the Test, something was bothering Vernon Philander. “Toothache … you are starting to annoy the shit out of me now,” he tweeted as the hour approached. “24 hour dentist, where are you? Sandton.”By the morning, Philander was ready to take his irritation out on someone. It showed in the first ball he delivered: short, outside off, seaming in a touch and drawing a careful push from Ajinkya Rahane. It showed even more the next delivery, which reared up and jagged away, forcing Rahane to play. It set the tone – as Allan Donald had asked his quicks to do – for the morning.With a covering of cloud, moisture heavy in the air and a pain in his tooth, Philander beat MS Dhoni’s bat, squared him up, and attacked the stumps more than any of the South African bowlers had on the first day. Although he was not the man who claimed the Indian captain’s wicket, his rewards rolled in after that.Rahane was dismissed in typical Philander fashion – poking at one outside off stump that nipped away at the last second. Zaheer Khan was comically caught on the back foot as he tried to do something that resembled playing at one that wobbled in the densely damp air. Ishant Sharma’s defences were breached by a ball that was perfectly directed at the top of off stump.Vernon Philander attacked India with ball and bat•AFPAll three dismissals paid homage to the consistency of Philander’s bowling, the subtlety of movement he produces and the uncertainty he creates in batsmen’s minds. After dismissing Ishant, Philander stood one wicket away from collecting his 100th Test scalp. But for a Morne Morkel no-ball in the over that followed, he would have had a chance to reach the landmark, but the extra delivery Morkel bowled accounted for India’s last batsman.Philander still has the second innings and the smart money will be on him to claim his 100th. If he gets there, he will become the fastest South African to the landmark, reaching it in 19 Tests, one fewer than Dale Steyn.Philander is already the joint second-fastest to 50 Test wickets. The rate at which he has racked up those numbers could easily conjure up an image of a snarling speedster who juggles the ball as he delivers it. Philander is not that. He succeeds through consistency. The first day of this Test aside, he rarely offers width or bowls what batsmen may call a ‘hit-me’ delivery. He is tireless in his ability to maintain a line on or just outside off and a good length. He may sometimes have a few things to say but nothing as hostile as his opening partner Steyn.His success has literally been achieved through hard work and the 100th wicket will be another illustration of that. Before he gets there, Philander will concentrate on batting South Africa towards safety, which he has already set about doing. He regards himself as a genuine allrounder, and with two first-class hundreds and two Test fifties to his name, few will argue with that. This is another opportunity to show it.Philander has batted with the maturity of a senior batsman, despite not being the specialist at the crease. He walked out with his team on 146 for 6 and needing consolidation. Faf du Plessis, who has not scored a half-century in seven Test innings, was with him.Philander was greeted with an outswinger, one that came back in and a short ball, and negotiated all three with ease. While du Plessis spent time trying to get in, Philander kept the score moving to avoid a build up of pressure. He took risks – an expansive drive off Ishant that he inside-edged for four – and he showed off his prowess when he pulled Mohammad Shami, punched Ishant through point and flicked Zaheer Khan.Because of Philander, du Plessis had the time to gain his confidence and South Africa remained alive in the match. Philander got the balance between caution and aggression right, treated the bowling with respect but punished it when he had the chance. “Having Faf and Vernon there has been a major help for us,” Hashim Amla said. “If you think back to Lord’s, Vernon batted really well and he did so here again on a wicket that has done a bit.”Against England last August, Philander had joined JP Duminy at the crease with South Africa on 163 for 6. Both batsmen scored 61 and their partnership gave South Africa a decent total. Philander’s last day five-for also played a major part in South Africa winning the Test, the series and the coveted mace. “He has proven his worth as a bowler and batsman for us,” Amla said.His team-mates seemed to know little about the discomfort Philander was in today, with Amla saying he wasn’t aware of the toothache. “I didn’t know but he did pretty well. I don’t think it’s affected him too badly,” he said. Philander was only due to see the dentist at the end of play today. Given the way he performed with the pain so far, Amla hinted his team-mates may not be too unhappy if he wasn’t cured completely by the morning.

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da poker： O Camboriú conquistou no último sábado a vaga inédita para a final do Campeonato Catarinense após derrotar o Figueirense pelo placar agregado de 3 a 1.

Um dos pilares defensivos da equipe e destaque nessa fase decisiva da competição, o zagueiro Tetê comemorou a campanha da equipe e destacou o sentimento de chegar à grande decisão.

O primeiro jogo da final, contra o Brusque, acontece nesta quarta-feira, às 20h30 no estádio Robertão, casa do Camboriú.

– Conquistar essa classificação é uma mistura de muitos sentimentos, difícil de explicar. Felicidade, realização, o que nós fizemos nesta competição tem que ser exaltado. Uma equipe muito competitiva, ciente daquilo que poderíamos produzir, e no final agradecer a Deus que nos honrou com essa tão sonhada vaga na final do Campeonato Catarinense – comentou o atleta.

Com foco total na decisão, o zagueiro manteve os pés no chão e destacou a humildade como o principal fator de sucesso para a equipe. Tetê projetou as expectativas para o duelo decisivo contra o Brusque e o que sua equipe deve fazer para conquistar o sonhado troféu do estadual catarinense.

– As expectativas são as melhores possíveis. Viemos humildemente durante toda a competição, dando um passo de cada vez. E na decisão não vai ser diferente, vamos continuar com os pés no chão. Agora é descansar e nos preparar bastante para performar bem nesses dois jogos da grande final.

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Pre-season is well and truly here, and after dispatching Hearts and Queens Park Rangers over the last week, Tottenham Hotspur have flown out to Japan to kickstart their brief international tour.

It's hard to take too much from these games, but it will be reassuring for fans to see the team look refreshed and ready for the new campaign.

One of the stars who started the last two games was Spanish right-back Pedro Porro.

While he looked good, recent reports suggest he could have some extra competition next season as the club have been linked with an exciting full-back, a full-back who has won comparisons to a certain Ben White.

Tottenham Hotspur transfer news

According to a recent report from journalist Graeme Bailey, Tottenham are one of three Premier League clubs interested in signing Bayern Munich full-back Noussair Mazraoui.

Alongside the Lilywhites, Bailey claims that Manchester United and West Ham United are also keen on the right-back, whom Bayern have supposedly offered to the teams.

The German Behemoths are happy to sell the Moroccan as they view him as surplus to requirements, although they still want an offer in the region of £25m.

It could prove challenging to get ahead of the chasing pack, but bringing in Mazraoui as competition for Porro would be an excellent idea, and the fact he's been compared to White is undoubtedly a bonus – from a playing perspective, anyway.

How Mazraoui compares to Porro and White

Okay, so before we look at how Mazraoui stacks up against Porro, let's examine this comparison to White and where it comes from.

It stems from FBref, which compared players in similar positions in last season's Champions League, created a list of the ten most comparable for each one, and concluded that the Englishman was the most similar full-back to the Moroccan in the entire competition.

The way they came to this conclusion was by looking at how closely the pair rank for several underlying metrics, including expected assists, actual assists, shots on target, passing accuracy, live passes, goal-creating actions, interceptions and clearances, all per 90.

However, it's not just their underlying numbers that make the two right-backs comparable.

Like the Arsenal man, the Bayern ace has shown himself to be positionally versatile, starting 44 games in central midfield, 13 in defensive midfield, and ten at left-back, among several starts all over the pitch.

So, while it's clear how the former Ajax star could be compared to the Englishman, how does he stack up to the man he may well be battling for a place in Ange Postecoglou's starting lineup next season?

Well, when you compare their underlying numbers from their respective league campaigns last season, it becomes clear that their battle could be an excellent one, with both full-backs coming out on top in ten key underlying metrics each.

For example, the former Sporting CP ace emerges victorious in metrics such as tackles won, blocks, ball recoveries and key passes, whereas his potential rival does better in ones like aerial duels won, progressive passes and carries, assists, and interceptions, all per 90.

Ultimately, if Spurs have a genuine chance to sign Mazraoui this summer, they should absolutely take it. He would be the perfect player to challenge Porro for the right-back position, and while the fans might not be the biggest fans of White, comparisons to him at the moment are certainly not a bad thing.

Already scouted: Spurs in frame to sign a "monster" Richarlison replacement

The impressive youngster has a very bright future ahead of him.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Jul 24, 2024

Glasgow Rangers have just over a week left to complete their remaining business before the summer transfer window officially slams shut next Friday.

The Light Blues have added Jefte, Hamza Igamane, Connor Barron, Mohammed Diomande, Oscar Cortes, Vaclav Cerny, Robin Propper, Clinton Nsiala, and Liam Kelly to their squad so far.

There could be further additions to come before the deadline passes, though, after the Gers failed to qualify for the Champions League and failed to win on the opening day of the Scottish Premiership season.

It appears as though Philippe Clement's side still needs more quality to come into the group and they are now reportedly eyeing up a new winger to bring it.

Rangers eyeing swoop for Serie A whiz

According to a reporter in Italy, the Scottish giants have enquired about a deal to sign Fiorentina winger Josip Brekalo before the end of the window.

The journalist claims that the Light Blues have 'asked' for information about the Croatia international, as they look to bolster their options out wide.

Rangers are seemingly eyeing a swoop for the 26-year-old star and this latest update reveals that the player could move on from Fiorentina in the coming days, which suggests that they have a chance to secure his services.

The £34k-per-week wizard has the potential to be an excellent partner for current Gers striker Cyriel Dessers in the final third this season if they can get a deal over the line this month.

Why Brekalo would be a dream for Dessers

The Croatian ace spent the second half of the 2023/24 campaign on loan with Hajduk Split in his home country and caught the eye with his impressive attacking displays.

After a return of one goal and zero assists in 11 outings in the Serie A in the first half of the season, Brekalo registered a sensational eight assists in 12 HNL starts for Hajduk Split.

The Fiorentina loanee, who was once hailed for his "lovely" technique by journalist Josh Bunting, completed 1.9 dribbles and made 2.6 key passes per game in the HNL, to go along with two goals.

James Tavernier

3.0

Borna Barisic

1.7

Todd Cantwell

1.7

Ridvan Yilmaz

1.5

John Lundstram

1.5

As you can see in the table above, no Rangers midfielder managed more than Todd Cantwell's 1.7 key passes per game in the Scottish Premiership last term, and three of those players – Cantwell, Borna Barisic, and John Lundstram – are not currently in the first-team squad.

This suggests that Brekalo could come in and be a huge creative presence for the Gers if he can translate his form in the HNL over to the Premiership.

Dessers, therefore, would love the winger as his statistics suggest that the Croatian wizard would create chances for the striker on a regular basis.

The Nigerian marksman scored 16 goals in the Premiership last season and has started the current campaign with three goals in five appearances in all competitions.

Rangers could forget about Hagi in swoop for "terrific" £3k-p/w gem

The Light Blues are in a difficult position with the Romania international this summer.

ByDan Emery Aug 20, 2024

Brekalo arriving at Ibrox (Hampden for now) would provide the centre-forward with another source of creativity to derive goals from in the coming months, which is why they could be an exciting pairing for the Light Blues.

ESPNcricinfo presents the plays of the day from the fourth day of the final Test at Lord’s

George Dobell and Firdose Moonda at Lord's19-Aug-2012Drop of the day
James Anderson has a well-deserved reputation as England’s best fielder in any position. But his failure to accept a simple chance at short mid wicket offered by AB de Villiers off the bowling of Graeme Swann when the batsman had scored just 8 was a major blow to England’s hopes. De Villiers went on to score 43 and England later also dropped Jacques Rudolph. It meant that, in this innings they had dropped Hashim Amla on 1, de Villiers on 8 and Rudolph on six and, in the series, that they had dropped nine chances. As if it is not hard enough to beat South Africa….Celebration of the day
South African batsmen have put their emotions into their gestures when bringing up hundreds on this tour. When Jacques Kallis brought up his hundred at the Oval, he pointed to his eye as a dedication to his friend Mark Boucher. When Amla etched his name onto the Lord’s honours’ board for the second time, he wrote a square in the sky with his hands, as though he was calling for the third umpire. Some thought it was a way of indicating that his name would be engraved again but it was actually a television sign, in recognition of the teams’ video analyst Prasanna Agoram who has been helping Amla behind the scenes. Agoram has been with the team for since before their 2010-11 home series against India and previously worked with the Indian Hockey Federation, Royal Challengers Banglalore and Rafael Nadal.Review of the day
If was not for the DRS, this series may have resembled the 1998 South Africa tour of England, one which Allan Donald remembers for the number of umpiring mistakes. One mistake that was not though was the decision Kumar Dharmasena made when he rejected James Anderson’s appeal for lbw against de Villiers. Live it looked as though de Villiers was in line and height was not an issue so England seemed to have called for a good review. Replays showed the ball was only clipping legstump, less than half of it, so the call remained with the umpire, giving a rare upholding to the two men in the middle for this match.Record of the day
Andrew Strauss has not had much to celebrate in this match so far but he did achieve something significant in his 100thTest. When his fingers closed around the delivery that dismissed de Villiers – a waist high catch off a thick outside edge – he had claimed his 121st catch for his country. In doing so he surpassed Ian Botham and Colin Cowdrey and became the England player to have taken the most catches in the outfield.Dosing of the day
Morne Morkel can come across as a dopey character and while batting he showed why. Morkel reached a careful nine runs, during which he reviewed an onfield decision against him which gave him out because he was actually hit on the grill, before a loss of concentration cost him his wicket. Morkel had his front foot just outside the crease when Matt Prior collected a delivery bowled by Swann. Prior waited for Morkel to raise his back foot and took off the bails in the fraction of a second when Morkel did. His timing was impeccable because Morkel’s foot was soon back on the ground, but not quickly enough to avoid him being saved. Prior had tried something similar when Rudolph when he lifted his foot very briefly but got it down in time. On both occasions though, Prior’s attention to detail was superb.

Iftikhar blasted KP to the final in a thriller against Northern, while Central Punjab secured a more routine win against Sindh

ESPNcricinfo staff12-Oct-2021Sahibzada Farhan’s half-century followed by a blistering 17-ball 45* from Iftikhar Ahmed saw Khyber Pakhtunkhwa storm into the final of the National T20. The title defenders looked like they might stutter midway through the chase, only for Iftikhar to bail them out.Put into bat first, Northern had a cautious start, scoring 48 in the Powerplay with no batter really able to capitalise on their start. Nasir Nawaz (27 off 18), Ali Imran (24 off 24), Umar Amin (22 off 18) and Zeeshan Malik (29 off 21) all failed to build on their innings, and Northern looked vulnerable at the 15-over mark, going at under seven an over. But 52 runs were scored in the last five overs to put on enough to give their bowlers something to defend. Arshad Iqbal was most prolific for KP, taking three wickets for 35, while Iftikhar Ahmed kept the runscoring down.KP started off the pursuit with Farhan played a steady knock to lay a solid foundation with 53 off 39 balls. Kamran Ghulam who scored an unbeaten 110 last night put together a more measured knock, managing 35 off 29. KP were 107-5 when before Zaman Khan and Sohail Tanvir allowed just ten runs in the following two overs, meaning KP required 40 in the final three. But for a dialled in Iftikhar, it proved only too easy. 44 runs were plundered off the next 13 balls as KP sealed their place in tomorrow’s final.Central Punjab stormed into the final by beating Sindh in a one-sided affair by seven wickets. They will take on defending champions Khyber Pakhtunkhwa tomorrow at Gaddafi Stadium Lahore.CP, chasing a moderate target of 142, made a wobbly start, losing Mohammad Akhlaq in the second over, but Ahmed Shehzad (49 off 46) and Kamran Akmal (51 off 36) shared an 88-run stand for the second wicket to keep the pursuit on track. It broke the back of the chase, with Hussain Talat and Qasim Akram finishing the job with more than two overs to spare.CP had put Sindh into bat first, who made a decent start thanks to aflying start from Sharjeel Khan, who blazed 32 off 19 deliveries. Khurram Manzoor at the other end struggled for fluency, scoring 34 in 40 balls, while the middle order fell apart somewhat cheaply. After stumbling to 107 for 6, Sohail Khan tried to stabilise the innings with 21, while Mir Hamza struck a couple of sixes, but the 141 they managed felt distinctly below par.Akram and Zafar Gohar were the pick of the bowlers, each conceding just 15 in their allotted four overs, picking up three and two wickets respectively. Those overs of spin told much of the tale of Sindh’s struggles to ensure it’ll be Central Punjab to try and dethrone KP from pole position in the final tomorrow.

Having played in the shadow of Shakib Al Hasan for a long time, he has now surpassed his hero’s wickets tally

Mohammad Isam22-Nov-2025To grasp Taijul Islam’s big moment, you have to get as close to the pitch as possible. You can’t sit in a cushy, soundproof press box to get a feeling of the height he has scaled. As a Bangladesh fan, the best you can do is witness the moment at the Shere Bangla National Stadium’s grandstand. A seat in the lower part of the grandstand could be useful, given how close it is to the action. It is a side view, though, so you might miss the nuances of Taijul’s bowling, but it is about moment.Bangladesh declared their second innings shortly after the lunch break on the fourth day in the Dhaka Test. Taijul broke Shakib Al Hasan’s record of most Test wickets for Bangladesh in the sixth over of Ireland’s chase. The Ireland captain Andy Balbirnie, trying to work the ball away towards square leg, was undone by a slightly quicker delivery. The huge appeal was followed by the raised finger, before Balbirnie called for the review.The small crowd cheered. Taijul ran a little bit with his clenched fist. Mushfiqur Rahim, the man of the moment in Dhaka, tried to pick him up to take the celebration to the next level. Taijul would have none of it, as he politely asked to be let down. After the TV umpire confirmed the three reds, Taijul calmly walked back to his mark. If you blinked, you would have missed his smile.Related

• Taijul, Murad leave Bangladesh four wickets away from 2-0

In terms of Test wickets, Taijul has now surpassed the man who has practically built Bangladesh cricket. Shakib is someone he looked up to before he made his Test debut, and in whose shadow he became a top-class operator. If you peel back another layer, Taijul now rightfully wears the crown of the best Bangladesh bowler – the one that has come down from Mohammad Rafique, the first bowler to take 100 Test wickets for the country, and, of course, Shakib, the first to 200 Test wickets.According to Taijul, though, he never really targeted records but wanted to play for Bangladesh for a long time. He said that he understands what he needs to do at the highest level, although he doesn’t enjoy the “underrated” tag. “I always wanted to have a long career,” he said. “I never really thought that I would be on top of the wicket-takers’ list. You just don’t plan that way, especially when you are starting a Test career.”I think around the time [I got to 200 wickets], I probably had the consistency and experience to convince myself that I can serve Bangladesh cricket for a longer time. I think it was around this time that I considered that I might get a few more wickets. It is not about proving myself to anyone. I think performance is the most important aspect at the highest level. I am always tagged as an underrated bowler, but I think it’s only the media that considers me as underrated.”Seven of Taijul’s 17 five-fors have come in wins•Associated PressTaijul was Shakib’s understudy and played second fiddle to him for a long time. He wasn’t always an automatic choice outside the subcontinent. And if you consider his celebration on Saturday, he is an unassuming person who doesn’t have glamour or a glitzy social-media following.But he is reliable, and bowls tirelessly. He has made contributions, big and small and mostly impactful, in his 11 years at the highest level. Seven of his 17 five-wicket hauls and one of his two ten-wicket hauls have come in Bangladesh’s wins.His 10 for 184 in Bangladesh’s 150-run win against New Zealand in Sylhet in 2023 is probably his greatest moment. He took Kane Williamson’s wicket in both innings. When the chips were down, as was the case in Bangladesh’s first day-night Test in Kolkata in 2019, Taijul was the 12th man who had to step up as a batter as Nayeem Hasan’s concussion substitute. He took Ajinkya Rahane’s wicket and took a splendid catch of Virat Kohli. He batted bravely too.There were numerous times when Taijul stepped up when Bangladesh ran into trouble. Still, he is the one who has to prove his worth to the selectors often.Taijul took on the mantle of being the lead spinner in the attack in 2017, since Shakib became irregular in Tests. Ten of his 17 five-fors have come in the last five years, a period in which Bangladesh have increasingly played more Tests, and mostly without Shakib.”The national team is where you have to keep performing,” he said. “Look at Shakib – he was No. 1 in the world for a reason. He was always performing. That was his quality. We remember his suggestions. He would always share his experience with us.”Even in private conversations, Taijul doesn’t really stick out for his big proclamations. He will enjoy a quiet dinner with friends. His dry sense of humour will stick out from time to time. He will make his point, smile and enjoy the conversation. But at the same time, he is serving as a good example of hard work for the next generation. The good news is that finally, many are not only noticing him but also following him.

Manchester United are close to signing a new teenage winger, according to reliable reporter Samuel Luckhurst.

Man Utd making academy moves

Sir Jim Ratcliffe is into his first transfer window as co-owner of the Red Devils and is yet to make a senior signing for Erik ten Hag. The new co-owner has recently said that it will take two or three summer windows to complete an Old Trafford rebuild when it comes to the playing squad.

"I don't think the solution is to buy an Mbappe. We are more grassroots than that. One player is not going to solve the problem at Manchester United. The first thing we need to do is build a balanced squad and ultimately maybe top it off with one or two players like Mbappe. It will take two or three summer windows to get to a better place.”

It looks as if a new centre-back and centre-forward are on the to-do list at Old Trafford after Raphael Varane and Anthony Martial left upon their contracts expiring at the end of June. Ten Hag could target his fellow countrymen when it comes to defensive and attacking reinforcements, Bologna striker Joshua Zirkzee and Bayern Munich centre-back Matthijs de Ligt two heavily linked players.

However, alongside senior signings, the club have also been working to secure the services of potential stars in the making at academy level. The club have already sealed deals for teenager Silva Mexes, the son of former Cardiff and West Brom striker Rob Earnshaw, and Australian James Overy, whereas Camron Mpofu from Reading is also expected to sign.

Now, another teenager has emerged on the Carrington radar, and it looks as if a move could be a matter of when he signs for United, not if.

Man Utd close to signing teenage winger

According to The Manchester Evening News’ chief reporter Luckhurst, Man Utd are close to signing Crystal Palace gem Samuel Lusale. The 16-year-old plays as a winger and recently represented Slovakia at the Under-17 European Championship in May.

Interestingly, Lusale is represented by the agency Roc Nation, which was founded by American rapper Jay-Z. On their website for Lusale’s profile, they describe the Palace gem as a quick winger who can play on either side.

“Samuel is a quick, dynamic winger who is regarded as one of the most exciting attacking players in the UK at under-16 level. Comfortable playing off the right or left wing, his electrifying pace and direct running with the ball makes him a constant threat to the opposition defence. He is often the source of goals and assists for his team.”

Man Utd chiefs ready to sell £190,000-p/w star who Ten Hag called "massive"

Ruthless from the Red Devils.

2 ByTom Cunningham Jul 4, 2024

His next move could be north to Manchester by the looks of things, and who knows, he could be the next wide teenager to progress into the first team after spending time in the academy after Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho.

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.

It’s day two of IPL 2021! Today we have MS Dhoni’s Chennai Super Kings taking on Rishabh Pant’s Delhi Capitals in Mumbai. We’ll see the likes of Suresh Raina, Ravindra Jadeja and Shardul Thakur facing off against R Ashwin, Shikhar Dhawan and Marcus Stoinis

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