Akash Deep, a right-arm pacer from a small village in Bihar, has made headlines after his remarkable performance in international cricket. Deep was born in one of the most economically depressed states in India. He has described growing up in a world where cricket seemed like an upper class sport. His story from poverty to playing for India is both heartwarming and heartbreaking.
It was deeply formative for Deep when his family moved to what his father called the “capital of the East” of India, Bengal. Even with the new setting, cricket was still a pretty long shot. “Cricket was not such a big sport here in Bihar at that time. His best friend from childhood, Vaibhav Kumar, told me that only 20 or 25 people in all of our district played leather-ball cricket. No one has had a greater hand in shaping belief in Deep than Engel.
At first, Deep used a tennis ball, frequently ensuring his wealthy classmates’ victories. He thought that cricket was the sport of the rich. Kumar saw the potential in Deep and became a one-man marketing machine, bombarding coaches until someone paid attention. Despite the odds, I refused to lose faith. I pleaded with one of the trainers multiple times to just even see him once,” Kumar said.
Then in 2015, tragedy struck as Deep lost his father. Six months later, he suffered another disgraceful blow with the loss of his elder sibling. These accumulated losses forced him to leave the cricket pitch and step away from the sport for almost three years. His love for the game never really went away. Arun Lal, then Bengal’s coach, observed Deep’s talent and worked on his mindset, emphasizing the need for self-belief rather than just technical skills.
He underestimated himself. Lal simply set out to improve his temperament as a bowler, rather than his technique. He just needed to find a way to help him develop a better foundation of self-belief. His doggedness helped Deep make the shift into Bengal’s domestic circuit, where he soon made waves for his explosive performances.
Fortunately, after years of perseverance and commitment, Deep earned the chance to realise his dream with an international debut in early 2024. He had a major career highlight when he took three wickets in the Test against England. His magical outing didn’t stop there as he went on to claim a five-wicket haul in the second innings to seal an emphatic victory for India. England captain Ben Stokes had high words for Deep’s skillset. He noted how amazing it is that Deep can always vary his angles yet still be so accurate.
Deep’s journey isn’t just a personal achievement — it’s a tribute to his loved ones. In an emotional interview after his debut match, he held up a picture of his late sister and dedicated his performance to her memory. Each time I had the ball, her dreams and image came to me. This performance is dedicated to her. I want to give her that hope for her to say, ‘Girl, we’re all rooting for you,’” he added.
Just his international achievements alone begin to scratch the surface of his accomplishments. Deep has made his impact with his franchise teams, including Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Lucknow Super Giants, in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Coaches at an academy in Jamshedpur recognized his potential early on, asserting that “Akash could definitely play IPL as long as he works hard.”
Against all odds, the tale of Akash Deep is a narrative rife with resilience, optimism and sheer love for the game of cricket. He began his remarkable journey from a tiny village in Bihar. Today, he plays at the highest level of the sport, showing to the world that anything is possible with belief and hard work.
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