Joe Root fires century after Akash Deep’s great burst with new ball
It turned out to be an engrossing day of cricket with two men capturing the attention in the fourth Test between India and England here on Friday.
There was no Bazball, but plenty of buzz around Joe Root carving out his 10th Test ton against India as the visitors ended Day 1 at 302 for 7 in 90 overs.
If Root did not fall for the Bazaball bull-crap and focused on the tenets of correct fundamentals in playing with a straight bat, it was his patience and experience in handling the conditions.
A century was in the offing but the way he created it was a delight, which left skipper Ben Stokes ecstatic beyond the boundary.
As for Root, the man took off his helmet, kissed it and then got back to work even as the shadows were lengthening.
To be sure, the morning belonged to another Indian debutant. Akash Deep, who represents Bengal, was blessed by his family member just when he got to know he had won a Test cap.
As it has been the norm, he hugged his family members before the red cherry was in his hands.
It’s no easy job, for any fast bowler to come in for Jasprit Bumrah, given a break due to the workload management rule. Akash was as clear as the sky in his thought process and if people talked of radiance, he lived up to his surname of Deep (lamp).
He had caused a flutter in the morning with an early dismissal, just that it turned out to be a no ball. After that, Akash Deep and Mohd Siraj tested the English batters on a wicket where there was no juice for the bowlers.
Ranchi is cooler in comparison to Vizag and Rajkot, so maybe these two fast bowlers found it easier to crank up speed. Siraj is a game trier, a star performer. It was important for Akash Deep, picked ahead of Mukesh Kumar, to make an impact.
Sampling this, Mohd Shami, Mukesh and Akash, all play for Bengal but none belong to this state.
Akash Deep hails from Bihar but showcases his bowling skills for Bengal, a state which has opened the doors for players from outside.
Bihar and cricket are not a great comparison, more so when you factor the politics of Indian cricket in the past where the state association was facing a tough time with the BCCI.
Akash’s grooming in Kolkata and then playing for Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the IPL have been unique. There is no doubting, he works hard. On Friday, he cranked up a decent pace. The lanky 27-year-old steams in fast, has a smooth action and follow-through which is attractive.
His willingness to use his shoulders and pitch the ball short and make it climb was a nice sight. Akash Deep jolted England with three scalps, before surgeon Joe Root kicked in.
The good thing about someone like Akash is he is ready to grab the challenge and go full throttle. He picked up the wickets of the top order – Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett and Ollie Pope – all important wickets. After that, fans saw Siraj in sniper mode, as he picked two wickets. After that, it was all about a man who has faced flak in tons. People have torn apart Joe Root for his “callous approach” in the previous Test. His testing time was more in the mind and within. The cobwebs of uncertainty clinging to the blade of his bat had to be brushed away.
That it was in Ranchi, not a regular Test centre, made for great viewing. There are a sizeable number of people here from England, Bamy Army, who support British cricket. They got their Pounds’ worth as Root kept them entertained all day long with batting which was old school, solid and much-needed. Bazball has become a joke in this series.
