ENG Vs IND: Akash Deep Joins Elusive List Following Successive 4-Wicket Hauls In Edgbaston Test

Indian pacer Akash Deep joined an elite list, becoming the fifth bowler to secure a four-wicket haul at least in both innings during a Test in England. 

The 28-year-old pacer accomplished this feat against England in the second Test at Birmingham on Sunday. 

During the second innings on day five, Akash cleaned up Ollie Pope and Harry Brook quickly, securing his four-wicket haul and ending the first session at 4/58. During the first innings, he had taken 4/88 and delivered a serious headache to England with the new ball in hand. 

Akash Deep finds a place in the elusive list

Now, Akash has joined the elite list consisting of Chetan Sharma (4/130 & 6/58, Birmingham back in 1986), Zaheer Khan (4/59 & 5/75, Nottingham in 2007), Jasprit Bumrah (4/46 & 5/64, Nottingham in 2021) and Mohammed Siraj (4/88 & 4/44 at Lord's in 2021). 

Whenever an Indian pacer has taken at least a four-fer in both innings in England, India has never lost a game, with games ending in a draw in Bumrah and Chetan's cases. But, Siraj and Zaheer's efforts resulted in wins. 

Deep continued his sensational form and struck twice in the first session of Day 5 as England powered to 153/6 at Lunch in the second test against India on Sunday, at Edgbaston, Birmingham. 

Washington Sundar struck right before lunch, he caught Ben Stokes plumb in front, and England were left six down. At the end of the first session, England reached 153/6 with Jamie Smith 32* unbeaten on the crease and 455 runs away from the victory.

England entered with a mammoth 536 runs to win

England started Day 5 on 72/3 in 16 overs, 556 runs short of victory, with Harry Brook and Ollie Pope unbeaten on scores of 15(15) and 24(44). India needed to scythe seven scalps on the final day to restore parity at 1-1 in the five-match series.

Play started after nearly a two-hour rain delay on Day 5 of the second Test. Due to the delay, 80 overs will be bowled. Akash Deep was all over England like a rash in his opening spell of the first session as he worked his magic. He sent both overnight batters, Ollie Pope, 24, and Harry Brook, 23, to the hut. 

Stokes and Smith steady England's ship

The duo of England skipper Ben Stokes and Jamie Smith completed a 50-run partnership for the 6th wicket in the 35th over after Stokes smashed a four off Siraj towards mid-wicket. Just before lunch, Washington Sundar removed England's skipper for 33 off 73 balls, including six fours. 

England won the toss and opted to bowl. India posted 587 with Indian skipper Shubman Gill's historic double hundred. Mohammed Siraj grabbed six wickets as India bowled out England for 407 runs, taking a first-innings lead of 180 runs.

India finished second on 427, setting a massive target of 608 for England, with Indian skipper Shubman Gill making another hundred in the match. 

Brief score: India: 587 (Shubman Gill 269, Ravindra Jadeja 89, Shoaib Bashir 3/167) against England: 407 ( Jamie Smith 184*, Harry Brook 158; Mohammed Siraj 6/70/). India 427/6 d (Shubman Gill 161, Ravindra Jadeja 69*; 2/119) England 153/6 (Ben Stokes 33, Jamie Smith 32*; Akash Deep 4/58).

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