India will have Akash Deep in their top 4 or 5 when they go to Australia, says Sanjay Manjrekar

Former batter Sanjay Manjrekar reckons that pacer Akash Deep would be among the top four or five picks when India pick their squad for the five-match Test series in Australia. Praising the right-arm pacer, Manjrekar said he has a repeatable bowling action and bowls well to left-handers.

Akash Deep claimed two of the three wickets to fall on a rain-hit Day 1 of the second Test against Bangladesh at Green Park in Kanpur on Friday, September 27. Only 35 overs were possible on the opening day where the Indian pacer dismissed Bangladesh opener Zakir Hasan (0) and Shadman Islam (24). While Zakar was caught at slip, Shadman was trapped leg before.

Speaking to ESPNcricinfo after the end of Day 1 in Kanpur, Manjrekar hailed Akash Deep and picked him as one of the front-runners for the tour of Australia.

"When he made his debut in Ranchi as well, you could see that he looked far better than Mukesh Kumar, who was playing as the third seamer at that time. He is somebody that India will have in their top four or five when they go to Australia. He's got a very repeatable bowling action and very good to left-handers, which is always handy because there are so many left-handers around the world," the former India batter said.

While Akash Deep picked up two wickets in the first innings in Kanpur on Day 1, he also impressed in the first Test in Chennai, claiming 2-19 in the first innings.

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"He is straight in the air" - Manjrekar on what makes Akash Deep a difficult bowler to face

Analyzing why batters find Akash Deep tricky to deal with, Manjrekar explained that he is straight in the air, which is tough for batters. The 59-year-old former Mumbai batter elaborated in the same interaction:

"He keeps it simple. He is straight in the air, which I, as a batter, used to find very difficult. They give you nothing. You saw the two left-handers struggle with the same thing where the ball was straight at them and just a little bit of movement. So, that is something that goes in his favor. India have found a very handy third seamer or fourth when [Mohammed] Shami comes back."

Akash Deep made his Test debut against England in Ranchi in February this year. He made an instant impact, dismissing Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, and Zak Crawley in the first innings.