IND vs ENG 5th Test: Star Performance! Netizens Hail Akash Deep For Frustrating England With Maiden Fifty

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IND vs ENG 5th Test: One of the unlikely sources, nightwatchman Akash Deep stole the spotlight on Day 3 of the fifth Test between India and England at The Oval on Saturday, smashing his maiden Test half-century and leaving England's bowlers scratching their heads.

Coming in at No. 4 late on Day 2 after the dismissal of Sai Sudharsan, Akash held firm alongside opener Yashasvi Jaiswal to ensure India didn't lose further wickets. On Saturday morning, he kicked off the session with a confident boundary off left-arm spinner Jacob Bethell, setting the tone for a gritty knock.

Displaying impressive temperament and shot selection, Akash reached his first Test fifty off 70 balls with a boundary off Gus Atkinson in the 38th over. His last three scoring shots before reaching the milestone were all fours, showcasing his dominance over England's pacers. He even weathered a short-ball barrage by Atkinson and Josh Tongue, punishing them with well-timed cuts, pulls, and one uppercut that raced to the fence.

Akash, however, enjoyed a couple of lucky breaks. He survived an LBW shout that was upheld as umpire's call and was dropped on 21 by Zak Crawley in the slips. But he made the most of those chances, eventually falling for a career-best 66 off 94 deliveries just before lunch - caught at backward point off a Jamie Overton short ball.

Before this innings, Akash Deep had just one fifty in First-Class cricket - a fiery 18-ball knock for Bengal against Jharkhand in the 2021-22 Ranji Trophy quarterfinal. His contribution with the bat on Saturday not only frustrated England but also drew widespread praise online.

At lunch, India were cruising at 189/3 with a 166-run lead. Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal were unbeaten at the crease.

The netizens on X (formerly Twitter) just couldn't help but praise the gritty innings by the tailender. Here's a look at some of the reactions.

"Akash Deep - Star Performance. Made his best score in First-Class cricket, amazing contribution with the bat'', a fan wrote.

''Akash Deep showing England how it's done with the bat too 😎🔥", an user shared.

"Akash Deep just being out of syllabus.....😅😅", another fan expressed.

The unexpected batting heroics of Akash Deep provided one of the most entertaining passages of play in the Test - a moment that may well be remembered long after the series wraps up.