'Upcoming all-rounder' Akash Deep reveals his banter with Virat Kohli over his bat

Akash Deep revealed his dun banter with Virat Kohli as the star player gifted his bat to the bowler. Abhishek Nayar also hailed Akash Deep as the upcoming all-rounder.

In Short

• Virta Kohli gifted his bat to Akash Deep after 1st Test vs Bangladesh
• Akash Deep hit two consecutive sixes using Kohli's bat
• India won the 2nd Test by 7 wickets to register 2-0 clean sweep

Akash Deep revealed his banter with Virat Kohli to secure his much-prized bat with which he smoked two sixes during the 2nd Test between India and Bangladesh at the Green Park Stadium, Kanpur. He revealed how Kohli himself gifted his bat to the pacer after the 1st Test match against Bangladesh in Chennai. India's assistant coach Abhishek Nayar also hailed his batting and the decision to send him above Jasprit Bumrah. Nayar also called Akash Deep as Team India's 'upcoming all-rounder'.

"Virat gave him the bat, and automatically he got the form with the bat. But he actually impressed us a lot in the nets. In the first match, there was discussion if we should send Bumrah or Akash Deep. But Rohit said to send Akash Deep as he had scored runs in Duleep Trophy as well. He was our in-form player, and we also put that pressure that he has to score a fifty in the lower order for the team. With the bat, he could be the upcoming all-rounder, Akash Deep," Nayar told Jio Cinema after India's win in Kanpur.

Akash Deep impresses with bat

The Rohit Sharma-led team registered a thumping win by 7 wickets on Day 5 of the Test, despite Day 2 and Day 3 getting abandoned without a ball being bowled. Aka Deep had yet another impressive outing with the ball as he picked two wickets in the 1st innings, followed by one more in the 2nd innings against Bangladesh. However, the fans and experts alike were wowed by his two consecutive sixes during India's first innings. Interestingly, he used Virat Kohli's bat which was evident from the sticker of a popular tyre brand.

When Virat Kohli gifted bat to Akash Deep

"Yes, it was tough. But I don't know what happened to bhaiya, he suddenly came and said 'Le, tujhe bat chahiye tha na, le khel'. So it got easy. Yes, there was pressure, as when I held the bat I told him it's giving the feel of a cover drive. He said don't do drama, just take it. I asked him if he would take the bat or not, he said no," Akash Deep told Jio Cinema.

Akash Deep slammed two back-to-back sixes against Shakib Al Hasan on the second and the third ball he faced. The likes of Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Gautam Gambhir were spotted smiling after seeing Akash Deep's onslaught.