Taken aback by the unexpected gesture, Akash nodded eagerly, grateful for the precious gift.
Handing over the bat, Virat said, “Yeh le, rakh le yeh bat.”
Overwhelmed, Akash immediately took out a pen, requested an autograph on the bat, and gave Virat a hug.
“I will never play with that bat. It’s a huge gift from Virat bhaiya, and I will keep it as a souvenir,” an elated Akash told TimesofIndia.com in an exclusive interview.
The 27-year-old from Sasaram has been impressive in his brief Test career so far. He made his debut against England in Ranchi earlier this year, claiming three wickets in the match. In his second Test, Akash once again delivered, picking up two wickets against Bangladesh.
TimesofIndia.com caught up with Akash in an exclusive interview, where he spoke about the ongoing India-Bangladesh series, receiving the bat from Virat Kohli, his rapport with captain Rohit Sharma, sharing the nets with Jasprit Bumrah, and much more.
After England, Bangladesh marks your second Test series. How has the experience been so far?
The experience has been excellent so far. I have learned a lot. As a fast bowler, you need to adapt to any condition and situation, and that’s how you learn. I decided to bowl the way I have been bowling; I didn’t want to experiment or change anything. As fast bowlers, we need to assess the conditions and analyze the batsmen, and that’s what I do during the match. My focus is always on the batsman. I don’t put extra burden on myself because it leads to pressure. I just try to stick to the basics and focus on the team’s plans.
India is not a team that adjusts its plans according to the opposition. They play with the same plan against any opponent. India always dominates. It doesn’t matter whether they are facing England, New Zealand, Australia, or Bangladesh. We just want to go out and play cricket, no matter who we are playing against.
You took a wicket off a no ball in your debut, but then went on to claim three wickets. Was it Rohit Sharma’s encouragement that motivated you during that time?
I always say it is a matter of good fortune and luck to play under Rohit bhaiya. I consider myself lucky to play under him. He is a different kind of captain; I have never seen a captain like him. He is the best captain I have played under. He is just a cool and calm person. He keeps things so simple and easy for every player, not just for me. You will be amazed at how a player of Rohit’s stature deals with a youngster like a friend and brother.
How challenging is it for a bowler to bounce back, especially after conceding a wicket due to a no ball?
I didn’t feel bad at all when I took a wicket that was given as a no ball. What made me feel worse was that Zak Crawley hammered Siraj for 19 runs after two overs. I felt bad because my no ball allowed him to score those runs. But I had a belief that I would get him out; I had some plans in my mind. I eventually got rid of Crawley. I knew I would dismiss him, and I was confident. When I dismissed him, I felt so relieved and happy at the same time.
Rohit bhaiya came forward and motivated me after that no ball. He said, ‘Aage badh, hota rehta hai.’ He asked me to leave that no ball behind and move forward. But as a bowler, you don’t forget such incidents.
Can you share the story of receiving a bat from Virat Kohli?
Virat bhaiya ne khud se bat diya tha [Virat bhaiya himself gave me the bat]. He must have observed something about my batting. I didn’t ask for it; he came to me and asked, ‘Bat chaiye kya tujhe?’ Who wouldn’t want a bat from Virat bhaiya? He is a legend. I was very happy to hear his words and wanted that bat. He asked me what kind of bat I use while batting, and I just smiled—I didn’t have words. Then he said, ‘Yeh le, rakh le yeh bat.’ I will never play with that bat; it is a big gift from Virat bhaiya, and I will keep it as a souvenir on the wall of my room. I even got his autograph on the bat.
You’ve stepped in for Shami in the squad. Does replacing a senior player add extra pressure for you?
Responsibility—that’s what I feel in the absence of a veteran bowler. He has done a lot for the country, and it feels great to play in the place of such a great bowler. Fulfilling that role and performing is a big challenge, and I feel that responsibility. I want to repay the trust that the management, captain, seniors, and coaches have shown in me. I just want to follow the process, bowl in good areas, and take wickets for my team.
You’ve had the opportunity to share nets with Bumrah. What was that experience like?
I regularly talk to him and observe his bowling. Woh bilkul alag hain; bhagwan ne unhe alag hi banaya hai. I take a lot of tips from him and have learned a lot. I discussed ‘mindset’ with him and once asked him about the mindset while bowling to a particular batsman. He provided me with valuable tips and answers to my query.
He is such a knowledgeable person, and that reflects in his bowling. His ability to read a batter before he bowls is amazing. He is a gifted bowler, and it’s not easy to follow in his footsteps.
How did you develop the art of reading batsmen?
Every batsman plays in a different zone. His mindset will vary depending on when he plays, changing session by session and day by day. For example, a batsman may have an A mindset on Day 1 and a B mindset on Day 2. As bowlers, we need to keep track of that, analyze it, and bowl accordingly, because he is also analyzing us. After bowling three or four overs to him, we start to notice the mistakes he is making, and then I adjust my variations accordingly.
In red ball cricket, I always focus on taking the batsman out of his comfort zone. I don’t bowl in areas where he is comfortable; I try to make him uncomfortable and force him into making a mistake. This is what I have learned in my career, especially in red ball cricket, so far.
