India's young speedster Akash Deep opened up on a dropped catch of Marnus Labuschagne by Yashasvi Jaiswal during his over in the fourth Test match of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25. Australia were playing on the mat at 91 for 6 in the Boxing Day Test when Jaiswal who was stationed at slips, dropped Labuschagne's catch who eventually scored a half-century at Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne.
Australia defeated India in the fourth Test match to take a 2-1 lead. Akash Deep believes that if India managed to bundle Australia out on 130 ruins then there are chances that India can easily win that match.
"...no one drops catches intentionally and these things do happen but I did feel a little bad that if that catch would have been held and they could have been dismissed for 130 odd, maybe we would have won in Melbourne.
"Coming into Sydney, we would have been 2-1 up and Australia would have been under pressure. I don't think that apart from India, other teams have been able to give them a decent fight consistently in recent years" Akash Deep told PTI.
Asked to revisit his last-wicket stand of 47 with Jasprit Bumrah in the drawn Brisbane Test, the Sasaram-born cricketer said he was very clear with his plans.
"That day, my mindset was that I was ready to get hit and take any number of body blows but won't get out. I needed to score runs...I had to bat as long as possible. It wasn't as if (saving) follow-on was on my mind," Akash Deep explained his thought-process.
"In my mind, I knew the longer I would bat, our batters would have to bat for reduced amount of time in the second essay. That particular day, I was watching the ball well," he said.
His effort was expectedly lauded by the entire team but what made Akash Deep more happy was the reaction of Indian fans.
"...I would remember it forever. I didn't envisage that just because of that batting effort, how many millions felt relieved and happy that day.
"That evening, I got to know from social media how happy people were. The dressing room was obviously happy," he said.
Australia defeated India 3-1 in the five-Test match series to seal their spot in the World Test Championship (WTC) final which will take place in England later this year.
