Fast bowler Akash Deep is likely to make his international test debut during the fourth Test against England which starts on February 23, Friday in Ranchi. Akash is set to replace India’s pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah, who has been released from the squad to manage his workload. Akash and Mukesh Kumar, both Bengal fast bowlers, are the two pace alternatives to partner Mohammed Siraj in the fourth Test.
However, a few reports suggest that the selectors and team management are likely to go with Akash because they are impressed with the way he bowled in the matches against India A and England Lions.

Akash took 11 wickets in two red-ball matches for India A at Ahmedabad. Akash, along with Mukesh, has been Bengal’s leading fast bowler in red ball cricket. Akash has taken 104 wickets in 30 First-Class games, averaging 23.58.

Mukesh, on the other hand, 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. However, Mukesh bounced back in style to record his maiden first-class ten-wicket haul in the Ranji Trophy match last week. The performance in domestic cricket should earn him a second chance in the Test series but we have to wait and see what the team management thinks.

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 expressed.