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In what comes as a boost for Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), fast bowler Akash Deep has recovered from a back injury completely and is in line to play against Mumbai Indians (MI) in Lucknow on April 4 (Friday).
Despite two losses in the first three games, he feels LSG have no reason to panic, as their best is yet to come.
"We have only played three matches, and the IPL is a long tournament, and in these three matches, we have seen a lot of positives,” Akash Deep said ahead of the MI clash, reported ESPNCricinfo.
“Despite four fast bowlers being injured, the way we performed in the first match, I thought it was great. The tournament is long and the best is yet to come."
Akash Deep last played professional cricket back in December 2024, the MCG Test against Australia, but he’s played little to no T20 cricket in recent times, with him making just one appearance in the shortest format since November 2023. That, incidentally, also came against MI when he was playing for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) last year.
The right-armer pacer insisted on the importance of ‘match practice’ for him.
"I feel the first match is very important for me," he said.
"I have played one practice match, but in cricket, when you get a two to three-month gap, no matter how much you practice, till you don't play a match, the confidence does not build."
For young bowlers like Akash Deep, one of the benefits of playing in a competition like the IPL is having the opportunity to pick the brains of great players who are part of the support staff. In Akash Deep’s case, he currently has the opportunity to spend two full months with Zaheer Khan, one of the best fast bowlers in India’s history.
"I feel lucky that I am playing under such a big coach, that too for two months," the 28-year-old said of Zaheer.
"He is such an experienced bowler that he will be able to figure out what improvements I need. As a fast bowler, you can't change too many things but the smaller technical nuances can be done. He can help me with those."
