“I have not told this to anyone” - Akash Deep dedicates his 10-wicket match haul to elder sister suffering from cancer

Indian pacer Akash Deep, who had put up a match-winning performance in the Birmingham Test as India secured a 336-run win to level the series 1-1, has dedicated his performance to his elder sister, who has been battling cancer over the last two months.

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Speaking to the broadcasters right after India’s historic victory, Akash revealed that he wanted to put a smile on his elder sister’s face, adding that every time he runs on to bowl, he thinks of her.

It’s important to note that Akash, who scalped a 10-wicket haul in the Birmingham Test, emerged as the second Indian bowler after Chetan Sharma to pocket a 10-wicket match haul in a Test in England.

"I have not told this to anyone. My elder sister has been suffering from cancer for the last two months. She is now stable, she is fine. I think she will be the happiest (seeing my performance). I want to dedicate this match to her. I wanted to see a smile on her face," Akash Deep said after India’s biggest away win by runs.

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"This is for you. Whenever I held the ball in my hand, your face was in my mind. I want to see happiness in your face. We are all with you," he added.

After making his Test debut in February 2024, Akash went on to play a total of seven Tests last year. However, his performances in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy didn’t go as planned. Nevertheless, his change in mindset and lengths propelled him to put up a match-winning show in England.

"We have played on such wickets a lot in India. We had the same plan, I wanted to hit the right areas. What's happening off the pitch is not in my control. I wanted to put in a bit more effort when it comes to hitting the seam on the pitch. And when it lands on the right areas, I get movement," he stated.

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