‘His number was not saved’ – Akash Deep recalls ignoring Rahul Dravid’s Test debut message

Akash Deep made his Test debut against England in the fourth Test between the two nations in Ranchi on February 23. The fast bowler took three wickets in his opening spell, dismissing Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope and Zak Crawley in a memorable debut performance.

Deep received a message from Rahul Dravid, the former India captain, confirming that he would play in the match. However, the bowler did not immediately recognise the sender because Dravid’s contact details were not stored on his phone, so he initially overlooked the communication.

“I got a message from Rahul sir saying, ‘You are playing tomorrow.’ His number was not saved on my phone, so I ignored the message,” Deep said as quoted by India Today.

The uncertainty about his selection weighed on Deep during those hours. He remained restless with doubt about whether he would actually take the field. When he checked the message again and realised it was from Dravid, he immediately called the former captain to apologise for missing his communication.

“I was restless because I had a doubt whether I was playing. When I checked the message again, I realised it was Rahul sir’s number. I called him and said sorry, sir, your number was not saved, so I missed the message,” Deep said.

Deep’s reflection on his biggest opportunity

Once the confirmation came through, Deep viewed his Test debut as a defining moment in his cricket journey. He had spent years working towards this opportunity and saw the five days of the match as a crucial examination of his preparation and skill.

“I was happy, but I looked at it as an opportunity. I thought that this was the biggest opportunity of my life. Whatever I had done over 22-23 years, these five days were the examination for that,” Deep said.

Deep’s path to Test cricket had not been straightforward. He hailed from Sasaram in Bihar and moved to Durgapur, West Bengal, in 2010 seeking employment. With support from his uncle, he joined a local cricket academy to pursue the sport. The bowler faced significant personal challenges during his cricket career.

He lost his father and older brother within two months, a tragedy that forced him to step away from the game for three years. Despite this setback, he eventually returned to cricket and continued his development. After leaving Durgapur, Deep moved to Kolkata where he started playing with the United Club in the CAB’s Second Division League. This move marked the beginning of his gradual rise through domestic cricket towards national selection. Dravid also encouraged Deep to bring his family to the match in Ranchi, a venue located just 4-5 hours away from his home, making it possible for them to witness his Test debut.