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Ravichandran Ashwin has revealed how Virat Kohli’s advice to Akash Deep backfired during the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
Ravichandran Ashwin has criticized Virat Kohli’s understanding of Akash Deep.
Recently retired India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has revealed how senior batter Virat Kohli tried to advise pacer Akash Deep with a plan against Steve Smith in the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy but it backfired. Ashwin suggested that Kohli ‘didn’t understand’ Akash and thus couldn’t help him build on a spell.
The third Test in Gabba was Akash’s debut in Australia after India had lost the previous game in Adelaide where Harshit Rana couldn’t pick a wicket and was dropped. The Bengal pacer bowled brilliantly in his 29.5 overs, drawing several false shots off Smith and others but only had a late wicket of wicketkeeper Alex Carey to show for it. Smith recovered from his early scratchiness and went on to score 101 (190).
“Akash Deep was bowling a fabulous spell at the Gabba,” Ashwin recalled at the AWS AI Conclave 2025 in Bengaluru. “He was probably bowling his best, but Bumrah wasn’t. He was going through a wonderful spell of 3-4 overs. I was watching the game from outside. I saw Virat run up to him and say, ‘seedha daalo yaar, seedha daalo!’ [bowl straight!]. Immediately, out came a fielder and he went to leg gully. Aakash Deep bowled on the body and a couple of balls on the leg side, he got flicked and pulled. His rhythm went awry.”
“In Virat’s head, he thought that was uncomfortable for him, so if you do that against Smith, you will get him out. If you don’t understand a bowler, this is what happens. But if you understand a bowler, you know he’s going through a good spell, allow him to build on that spell,” he added.
Smith shared a 241-run partnership with Travis Head, who scored 152 (160) from the other end. Australia got all out for 445 and caught India off-guard in the second innings, bowling them for 260.
India did make a comeback by getting Australia down to 89/7 in the third innings and Australia declared, too, but by then, rain had wasted a lot of time in the game and the match ended in a draw. Soon after, Ashwin announced his retirement, ending his international career as India’s second-highest wicket-taker.
Akash could pick just five wickets across two Tests in the series, while Smith scored 314 runs in nine innings.