Indian pacer Akash Deep has emerged as an ideal option for the Indian cricket team to replace Mohammed Shami if he fails to regain fitness in time for the much-awaited five-match Test series in Australia later this year.

As the Indian team management and selectors grapple with the uncertainty surrounding Shami’s fitness and availability, many have backed Akash Deep for the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 in Australia.

Notably, Shami has been sidelined for a year due to an Achilles tendon injury. With three crucial home Tests remaining before India embark on a grueling five-match Test tour of Australia, the attacking pace still remains shaky.

Mohammed Shami’s injury concerns will open doors for Akash Deep’s tour to Australia

This situation is reminiscent of four years ago, when Team India cemented its status as a fast bowling powerhouse in Australia, fielding a formidable lineup that included Ishant Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami and Umesh Yadav, with Mohammed Siraj eagerly awaiting his chance.

Now, as the Indian team is in a rebuilding phase, the selection of the first-choice pace trio has become a major concern, especially with Shami’s fitness. However, Akash Deep looks like the perfect man to step up and fill India’s big spot in Australia, according to former bowling coach Paras Mhambrey.

Paras Mhambrey was quoted by the Times of India: “Akash has bowled a lot in domestic cricket. He understands what needs to be done. He also relies a lot on the movement of the seam. You need that kind of bowler in Australia who can take it out of the seam.”

Former bowling coach Paras Mhambrey has called for a strategic selection to pick five pacers for the upcoming crucial tour of Australia. He believes that even if Shami gets fit, there needs to be one more pacer apart from Bumrah, Siraj and Akash Deep as India needs to manage the workload of their pacers on the tour.

We are lucky to have someone like Jasprit Bumrah: Paras Mhambrey

Paras Mhambrey further added, “We are lucky to have someone like Bumrah who loves to play Test cricket. But Bumrah and Shami need a rest in the middle of a long series. That’s when strategic selection comes into play.”

However, Paras Mhambrey is not in favor of picking Arshdeep Singh for the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 in Australia; instead, he pleaded for Yash Dayal. Paras Mhambrey feels Ravichandran Ashwin and Kuldeep Yadav should be India’s spinners in the high-profile Test series against Australia.

The former coach noted, “With Ashwin in the team and hopefully Kuldeep Yadav, a left-arm spinner could be a strategic choice to create difficulty outside off-stump. I feel like Arshdeep maybe needs a little more time to grow with the red ball, but Dayal looks like someone who could hit the ground.”

In the end, Paras Mhambrey emphasized the importance of having players who can effectively take advantage of Australia’s conditions by hitting the deck hard and generating movement at the seams. He noted that bowlers can make the most of Kookaburra balls in the initial 30 overs of the game, after which the pitch tends to flatten out.

In this context, he singled out Prasidh Krishna as a valuable asset, noting that like Akash, Krishna’s height allows him to maximize the potential of the pitch.