I want to just stay fit, keep playing – Akash Deep on his cricketing ambitions

As the famous cricketing proverb goes, getting to the top is hard but remaining at the top is harder. RCB fast bowler, Akash Deep, who was handed his Test debut against England and claimed the hallowed English trident of Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope and Zak Crawley, didn’t have it easy. He had to go through the blazes to become the unstoppable Sasaram express that he is.

Talking to ESPNCricinfo about his struggles, Akash Deep said, “When you work hard and come this far, there's a feeling from within that that I need to do a lot more to stay here. That's my thinking. I feel I needed to work harder, so that I can play a lot more Tests."

Stating further about one of his dear wishes, he added, “A lot has changed but I think of my dad. I wish he'd seen me play Tests. Whenever I'm low or in need of that extra push, I think of him. It gives me the strength to get even better."

Narrating an extraordinary journey from all the way back to Sasaram towards kissing the skies in the Indian threads, Akash stated, “Growing up, people in our village used to scold us whenever we talked about cricket. All we kept hearing was it won't feed us. No one had ever done anything that could be considered a big achievement. No history of sports, no proper grounds or infrastructure. But when I went back home after my Test debut, I saw kids playing with such joy and parents actually encouraging them. If because of me, awareness in my town has gotten better, what more can I ask for?"

Expressing his gratitude for the mentors, Akash Deep said, “Arun Lal, he's done so much for me. It's amazing how some people come into your life. At a time when I didn't believe in myself, he'd tell me how I'm the best and how I had everything to succeed. Those words to a nobody were very encouraging.”

He continued, “He believed in me more than I believed in myself. That motivated me to learn. When I made my Test debut, I called him to get his blessings. He said, 'I knew this would happen, I told you five years ago.' If you're at five, he'll build you up to be 10 on 10."

Akash concluded by saying, “I feel every stage I've got a chance, I've tried to perform well. But I don't feel I've achieved a lot. As a person there's no age to learning. If I get into this mindset that I've achieved, then that bhookh (hunger) dies. I want to just stay fit, keep playing, focusing on that and not think of what I've done. My mindset is simple. The next match I play is the most important match of my life."