
Indian fast bowler Akash Deep recently revealed a conversation he had with Virat Kohli before he successfully helped India to avoid follow-on in the third Test at Gabba during the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy. In reply to Australia’s first innings total of 445 runs, India were in a tricky situation as they lost nine wickets at the score of 213 runs, with 33 runs still needed to avoid follow-on. However, coming to bat at number 11, Akash Deep showed his heroics with a knock of 31(44) runs, and ensured that they didn't bat again.
It is worth noting that Akash Deep used Virat Kohli’s bat in that game, and got an animated reaction from the star batter after he smashed consecutive boundaries against Australian skipper Pat Cummins to avoid follow-on. Recently, Akash Deep revealed what Kohli said to him before he went out to bat at Gabba. "Yes, that was Virat bhaiya’s bat, the one with MRF logo, everyone knows," Akash Deep was quoted as saying by News18. "Bhaiyya (Kohli) ne khud mujhse pucha ‘Tumko bat chahiye?’ (Virat himself asked me, ‘do you need a bat?’)."
When Virat is focussed and in his zone, you don’t want to disturb him: Akash Deep
Speaking further, Akash Deep said that he didn’t go to Virat Kohli on his own to ask for his bat. Notably, Kohli and Akash were teammates in Royal Challengers Bengaluru in IPL 2024."Maine bola ‘Haan bhaiyya, aapka bat kaun nahi lena chahega duniya mein?’ Then he presented it to me (I replied who in the world wouldn’t want your bat?)," Akash Deep further said when Kohli asked him take a bat.
"I have been there with bhaiyya (Kohli) for some time now (they are teammates in Royal Challengers Bengaluru). But you always have that thing at the back of your mind, whether it is the right thing to ask for a bat from someone of Virat bhaiyya’s stature," Akash Deep added.