Akash Deep smashes consecutive sixes with bat recently 'gifted' by Virat Kohli; ex-India captain's reaction is gold
Virat Kohli showed uncontrollable excitement from the dressing seeing the bat he gifted to Akash Deep being used to great effect.
Days after getting a bat gifted by the one and only Virat Kohli, India pacer Akash Deep used the piece of ammunition to some great effect in the ongoing 2nd Test against Bangladesh in Kanpur. As India's batters inflicted carnage on the Bangladesh bowlers in a bid to push for a result, Akash joined in on the fun as he hammered back-to-back sixes off Shakib-Al-Hasan, leaving the entire Indian dressing room, including Kohli amused. Ahead of the start of the first Test, Akash was floored by Kohli's king-sized gesture as he gifted the India pacer one of his bats. "He came to me and said, do you want a bat? Here, keep it," Akash had said. And today, a little over a week later, Akash made Kohli mighty proud by using it better than Kohli did.
As India looked for quick runs, Kohli got some much-needed runs under his belt, scoring 47 off 35 balls courtesy 4 fours and a six. But as it turns, it wasn't the only time runs flew off a bat with a big 'MRF Genius' logo on it. The moment Ravichandran Ashwin was dismissed trying to up the ante, and in walked Akash, it was evident that that piece of wood he held in his hand belonged to Kohli. Akash played a cameo in the first innings as well, but that was a different bat as it missed the Kohli's famous bat sticker.
However, this time around, As Akash took strike, he missed the first ball which went perilously close to the stumps. Yet, showing no half-measures, Akash swung the bat with all his might, sending the ball over long-on. The next one was treated no different as Akash threw the proverbial kitchen sink to collect consecutive sixes.
Akash Deep went 6, 6
Bangladesh were stunned, Shakib scratching his head. But perhaps the best reaction came from the Indian dressing room, where Kohli, ready to take the field soon, showed uncontrollable emotions. He broke into a sheepish smile that soon converted into laughter as Akash, Team India and the Kanpur crowd reveled in the brutal assault that was being laid on Bangladesh. IPL franchise Rajasthan Royals aptly summed it up, calling it a 'series of Goated events'.
The thing with Kohli and his knack of gifting bats to youngsters began many years ago but was only brought to light earlier this year during the IPL 2024 when India and Kolkata Knight Riders batter Rinku Singh first asked for it. Kohli, being the perfect senior and a true model, did not hesitate in entertaining Rinku's request, but did question him when Singh broke Virat's bat. However, the conversation was all in jest as Rinku succeeded in his pursuit of getting a second bat gifted by Kohli.
India on the brink of something special
With two days entirely washed out, India produced a batting performance out of the blue on Day 4 of the Kanpur Test. Aware of what's at stake - a place in the World Test Championship final - India blasted 285/9 in just 34.4 overs, a scoring rate of over eight an over - to put give themselves a realistic chance of pushing for a win. They have inserted Bangladesh in to bat in the second innings after attaining a first-innings lead of 52. The visitors finished Monday on 26/2, trailing by 26 runs, giving India an opening for a last-day thriller on Tuesday.
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