Oval: In a heartwarming moment that blended grit with light-hearted celebration, Indian pacer Akash Deep stunned cricket fans by scoring his maiden half-century in the second innings of the Oval Test against England. Coming in as a night watchman, Akash not only held his ground but also brought the Indian dressing room to its feet with a composed and confident 70-ball 50, peppered with nine elegant boundaries.
As the scoreboard ticked past his fifty, it wasn't just applause that echoed from the Indian bench. Captain Shubman Gill and all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja were spotted gleefully signaling for a “Helmaturan” the now-viral team ritual of raising a helmet in celebration. The request sparked laughter in the dressing room and even drew a rare smile from the usually stoic Team India mentor Gautam Gambhir.
Akash’s batting, typically reserved for tail-end survival, was nothing short of top-order caliber. Resuming Day 3 alongside Yashasvi Jaiswal, the Bengal pacer played with the calm of a seasoned batsman. As of the latest update, Akash remains unbeaten on 61 off 91 balls, a knock laced with composure, timing, and unexpected flair. Jaiswal, on the other hand, is solid at the other end with a fluent 84 off 103 balls, featuring ten fours and two sixes.
India currently stands strong at 177 for 2 in 42 overs, having erased England’s 23-run first innings lead and now looking to build a formidable total.
The match saw an intense turnaround on Day 2, where England, in reply to India's modest first innings score, were restricted to 247 runs. Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna shared the spoils with four wickets apiece, ensuring India stayed in the fight.
But today, the story belongs to Akash Deep a bowler by role, but a batsman by heart. With the bat doing the talking and the dressing room vibing to his “Helmaturan” moment, India may have just found a new cult hero.