The 5th Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy saw a spicy moment on Day 2 when Akash Deep had a fiery exchange with England batter Ben Duckett. It happened just after Duckett got out, and Akash walked up to him saying something and then putting his arm around his shoulder.
Akash Deep gets Duckett after fast start
Before all that, India got bowled out for 224 in the first innings. England came out really aggressive with the bat. Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley put up a quick partnership of 92 runs in only 12.5 overs. They were scoring at a very fast rate, around 7 per over.
Duckett looked very confident from the beginning. He scored 43 runs in just 38 balls and played shots like reverse scoop and paddle sweep, even hitting a six. Zak Crawley also made a half-century but Duckett’s approach looked more fearless and attacking.
Siraj was not at his best, but Akash Deep came in and bowled with good pace and energy. He gave Duckett a tough time in a few overs, but the England opener kept playing his shots and didn’t slow down. It looked like Duckett was trying to throw the bowler off his game.
Akash Deep celebrates wicket with extra heat
Finally, Akash Deep got the better of Duckett when he tried another reverse scoop and edged it to Dhruv Jurel behind the stumps. Right after that, Akash went straight to Duckett and seemed to say something to him. Duckett didn’t reply and kept walking.
Akash then put his arm around Duckett’s shoulder like he wanted to talk more or explain something. But the moment didn’t look very friendly and had a bit of tension in it. Things looked like they could go in a wrong direction.
KL Rahul, who was nearby, walked over quickly and told Akash Deep to calm down and move away. Rahul’s timing was important there, because he stopped anything bigger from happening. It showed his experience on the field.
KL Rahul praised, Akash Deep gets mixed reaction
Commentators like Michael Atherton and Dinesh Karthik said Akash Deep’s behaviour was not needed. They thought it was too aggressive and didn’t look nice on the field, especially after getting a wicket.
At the same time, KL Rahul got a lot of praise for what he did. Fans online said he handled the situation well and showed good leadership by stepping in before things went wrong. Many people said Rahul showed maturity and calmness.
KL Rahul Took Akashdeep Away From Duckett To Avoid Any Drama, As A Senior Player Great Work! pic.twitter.com/ROfXTKpkG4
— 𝐀•ᴷᴸ ᴿᵃʰᵘˡ ˢᵗᵃⁿ (@123Centurion__) August 1, 2025
Some fans were not sure if Akash Deep was being too aggressive or just passionate. The opinions were different on social media. But overall, Rahul’s reaction was seen in a very positive way by almost everyone.
England in control as they chase series win
By lunch, England were already 109 for 1 in just 16 overs. Crawley was still batting along with Ollie Pope. They were only 115 runs behind and looking in strong position to win the match and the series 3-1.
England’s attacking style continued to put pressure on Indian bowlers. If India don’t get wickets soon, England might finish this game early. Akash Deep will also be hoping to let his bowling do the talking in the rest of the match.
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