"It seemed like Kevin Pietersen had come to play" - Ajay Jadeja lauds Akash Deep's strokeplay on Day 3 of ENG vs IND 2025 5th Test

Former India player Ajay Jadeja has lauded Akash Deep for scoring an enterprising half-century on Day 3 of the fifth Test against England. He noted that the pull shot Deep played reminded him of former England batter Kevin Pietersen.

Deep scored 66 runs off 94 balls as India set England a 374-run target at The Oval on Saturday, August 2. The hosts were 50/1 in their second innings at Stumps, with Zak Crawley (14 off 36) being bowled by Mohammed Siraj on the final ball of the day.

During a discussion on Sony Sports, Jadeja praised Deep for showcasing his repertoire of shots, comparing his pull shot to Pietersen's.

"He showed his entire variety. His first showed variations in the cut shot, then played drives in three directions, and this (the pull) was the real shot for me. It seemed like Kevin Pietersen had come to play. If someone analyzes his wagon wheel, you would say his strength is everywhere. He plays both on the off and on side," he said.

The former India captain noted that Deep's knock lifted the dressing room's spirits.

"More than the runs, the spirit within the team changes. When a batter goes out to bat, he is thinking about his game. Here, he (Shubman Gill) acknowledged him (Deep) first. Many people return to the dressing room after scoring a fifty, but they don't get such a welcome," Jadeja observed.

Ajay Jadeja pointed out that Akash Deep scored runs on a wicket where the pitch report suggested everyone would get out quickly. He highlighted that the seamer's knock forced even the usually serious head coach Gautam Gambhir to smile.

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"He not only tired them, but batted almost till Lunch, and scored runs along with that" - Ajay Jadeja on the significance of Akash Deep's knock

Akash Deep struck 12 fours during his 66-run knock. [P/C: Getty]

In the same discussion, Ajay Jadeja noted that Akash Deep exceeded expectations with his batting performance.

"How disappointed he was while leaving. Skill is in one place, but it's about the attitude he showed. It wasn't easy when he came last (Friday) evening. You think that if he tires the bowlers for half an hour or an hour in the morning, it's a bonus. He not only tired them, but batted almost till Lunch, and scored runs along with that," he said.

The cricketer-turned-commentator added that Deep was the dominant partner during his century partnership with Yashasvi Jaiswal.

"Scoring runs on this wicket was necessary. He scored his first half-century. When the partnership was 100 runs, he had scored 60, and Jaiswal, who had been batting aggressively, had scored 30 or 40. It was crucial both for this match and this series," Jadeja observed.

Akash Deep and Yashasvi Jaiswal stitched together a 107-run third-wicket partnership. The latter scored 118 runs off 164 balls with the help of 14 fours and two sixes.

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Edited by Kartik Iyer