Ranji Trophy | Akash excels for Baroda against the odds

Bowling with the old ball, on a turning track, Akash’s three for 19 ensured Baroda took a firm grip on the Ranji Trophy tie against Mumbai

He hails from Bikaner, trains mostly in Jaipur, is associated with Chennai Super Kings despite having been a part of two other IPL franchises so far and is now representing Baroda – his third team in domestic cricket – since the last season. And he is just 22 years old. Welcome to the world of Akash Singh.

If living a life of a sort of a vagabond and having turned professional very early on in his career, first representing Nagaland before following Kiran More’s advice and signing with Baroda as a guest player since the last season, isn’t unusual for a young domestic cricketer, there is more.

At such a young age, the left-arm pacer, Akash is in danger of being stamped as a white-ball specialist.

But as much as a few IPL talent scouts present at the Vadodara International Cricket Stadium would have been impressed with his Saturday outing, Akash made everyone in Indian cricket take notice with his red-ball skills. Bowling with the old ball, on a turning track, Akash’s three for 19 ensured Baroda took a firm grip on the Ranji Trophy tie against Mumbai.

“It’s important for a player at my stage of career to not be billed as a white-ball specialist. So I am happy with my performance in that regard,” Akash told The Hindu after the second day’s play.

“More importantly, I am elated with the fact that I could justify the faith that the team has shown in me. When you play as a professional, you are expected to deliver every time the team asks something of you. And to be able to bowl with the old ball on a pitch that was turning, and to execute my plans against a big team and pick those wickets is pleasing.”

If Baroda converts the first-innings lead into an outright win, Akash will indeed feel like having found a home away from home for himself!

Published - October 13, 2024 05:19 am IST