Sachin Tendulkar picks his ‘Ball of IND-ENG series’

Legendary Sachin Tendulkar has picked Akash Deep’s ball to get Joe Root out in the second innings of the second Test match at Edgbaston, Birmingham as the ball of the series. Deep delivered the ball from wide of the crease and got the ball to move away from the veteran right-hander to hit the top of off-stump.

Ergo, the fast bowler used the crease with guile and created a perfect angle to bamboozle Root. Deep played an instrumental role in India’s mammoth win of 336 runs as he bagged a 10-wicket haul in that Test.

In a video going viral on the internet, Tendulkar said, “Mere liye mai kahunga ki that was the ball of the series jo unhone (Akash Deep) Joe Root ko daala, and that was also the turning point of the second Test match. Mujhe laga waha se shuruat hui; vo ek jo Joe Root ko rattle kar ke out kar diya usne, that was an unbelievable ball. Late movement hui off the pitch aur jo batter itne ache form mein hai, usne itne sarey runs banaye hai. Usey iss tareh se out karna is not easy. Toh mere liye that was possibly the ball of the series kyuki vo critical stage par usne daala vo ball.

English translation: “(I would pick the delivery from Akash Deep to Joe Root as the ball of the series. That also became the turning point of the second Test. Things started to turn from there because he rattled Joe Root and dismissed him. There was late movement off the pitch, and to dismiss someone who’s in form and has so many runs behind him is not easy. For me that was the ball of the series because it occurred at a critical stage of the game).”

While Deep returned with figures of 4-88 in the first innings, he bagged 6-99 in the second innings. Thus, he registered figures of 10-187, which is the best for any Indian fast bowler in English conditions. This was also India’s maiden Test win at Edgbaston, Birmingham.

Akash Deep scalped 13 wickets in three Test matches against England at an average of 36.46.