I prepare as if I am going to play every match: Akash Deep

It is a pity that someone as talented and hardworking as Aksah Deep is only a back-up seamer for India. But after a career-best four-wicket haul against England in the second Test here (four for 88), the 28-year-old Bengal bowler can hope to be in the thick of things.

Despite having made his debut more than 16 months ago, the Edgbaston Test is only the eighth of his career. But Akash denied that being in and out of the side had affected him much.

“I am not thinking like that and I will be there when the team needs me,” Akash said on Friday. “I don’t think that I don’t have continuity in the team. I prepare as if I am going to play every match. That mindset helps.”

Akash also credited pace-bowling leader Mohammed Siraj, who secured his fourth Test fifer (six for 70). The pace duo was instrumental in India gaining an upper hand on a pitch that helped the new-ball bowlers and no one else.

“We had to bowl in partnerships,” Akash said. “If you notice, with the first new ball, I was attacking and Siraj was holding one end so that runs did not leak from both sides.

“I was mentally prepared for all [types] of wickets. As a bowling team, what we have in our hands is discipline. We just had to keep at it,” he added.