"Chhoti Ganga Bata Kar Naale...": India Star's Brutal Jibe At English Pitches

India pacer Akash Deep has opened up on his experience of bowling on English pitches, saying that it was more challenging than he first thought. Akash was one of the heroes of India's big win during the Edgbaston Test as he claimed a 10-wicket haul in the absence of pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah. Speaking to CNN-News18 Cricketnext, Akash shared his views on the challenges he faced while bowling in English conditions for the first time. Akash gave a cheeky take when asked about the English pitches, which have historically aided the pacers.

"Actually, when I was in India, I was very happy just thinking about going to England to play. I had heard so much about those conditions. But when I actually went there and saw the wickets and the conditions myself, it was very different from what I'd imagined. I recalled the scene from that Hindi movie (Run), 'Chhoti Ganga bata kar naale mein kuda diya'. (laughs) That's exactly how it felt," said Akash.

Akash further suggested that since there was no natural assistance on offer, he focused on bowling in the right areas.

"Because there was no swing, no seam movement, runs were flowing freely - teams were making 400-plus scores. But I still had to play that match. So, I told myself: the only thing in my control is to put the ball in the right areas. If I start overthinking the conditions, I'll only put more pressure on myself. So, I stuck to that - bowling in the right areas, sticking to my strengths," he added.

Akash ended the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2025 with 13 wickets at an average of 36.46, including his historic ten-fer, cementing his place in Indian cricket history.

Akash is currently recovering from an injury, which has delayed his return to the field. As a result, he was not named in East Zone's squad for the upcoming Duleep Trophy quarterfinal match against North Zone.

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