Former India wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Karthik said that placing Akash Deep above veteran pacer Mohammed Siraj in the pecking order among Indian seamers would be unfair to the latter as well. However, Karthik explained that Siraj had earned his place, adding that while Akash Deep has been impressive, he has only started his international cricket.

Notably, Akash Deep was Team India’s most successful bowler on Day 1 of the second Test against Bangladesh at Green Park in Kanpur on Friday, September 27 as well. On a rain-affected day when only 35 overs of play were possible, he registered figures of 2-34 from 10 overs as well, where he removed both Bangladesh openers.

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During the discussion on Cricbuzz, Karthik said: “Akash Deep is a superb talent. When we give him the ball, almost every time he picks up a wicket and that’s a great skill to have. Siraj has done that for some time now. He was rated as the No. 1 bowler coming through the ranks from India A. He has earned his stripes and has done phenomenally well. I wouldn’t jump the gun so early and say he [Akash Deep] is the third member of that pack. You can confidently add him as that fourth member to that line-up on that flight to Australia.”

While Akash Deep has picked up four wickets in 21 overs in the ongoing Test series against Bangladesh so far, Siraj picked up two scalps in
27.1 overs as well.

“At this point of time, a majority of his wickets have come with the new ball. A couple of things are too glaring when that happens. You have solid spinners – Ashwin, Jadeja. We are sitting back on Axar and Kuldeep. When those players play, they take the bulk of the wickets in India,” Dinesh Karthik concluded. “Yes, with the old ball he’s [Akash Deep] yet to pick a wicket, but that’s going to happen for sure. He’s played a lot of domestic cricket and a majority of his wickets, I am sure, have come with the older ball or semi-new ball.”