‘It was a dream since long to have darshan of Lord Ram’: Akash Deep on Ayodhya temple visit

AYODHYA: Cricketer Akash Deep on Wednesday visited the Ram Temple in Ayodhya to offer prayers, fulfilling his ‘long-held’ dream. The visit comes on the heels of India’s dominant performance in the two-match Test series against Bangladesh, where they achieved a clean sweep.

“It was a dream since long to have darshan of Lord Ram, especially when this temple was built and I saw videos of Lord Ram… I have prayed that the way we are playing, we keep that going on… I can’t express it in words – how it felt to have darshan of Lord Ram…” Akash Deep said.

#WATCH | Ayodhya, UP | After offering prayers to lord Ram at Ram Temple, Indian cricket team player Akash Deep says, “It was a dream since long to have darshan of lord Ram, especially when this temple was built and I saw videos of lord Ram… I have prayed that the way we are… pic.twitter.com/LeofH9bhIZ

— ANI (@ANI) October 2, 2024

Akash Deep played a crucial role in India’s Test series victory against Bangladesh on Tuesday. The 27-year-old fast bowler from Bengal took five wickets across the two matches, contributing significantly to India’s whitewash.

With only three Test matches under his belt, Akash Deep has already made a mark in international cricket. He has secured a total of eight wickets, showcasing his potential and skill. His debut Test match against England in Ranchi was particularly memorable, where he achieved his best bowling figures of 3/83.

Coming to the second Test match, after two days of missed action, Bangladesh, having put to bat first by India, resumed their innings on day four. Momimul Haque (107 in 194 balls, with 17 fours and a six) hit a century that took Bangladesh to 233. Jasprit Bumrah picked up three, while Siraj, Ravichandran Ashwin and Akash Deep picked up two. Ravindra Jadeja got one scalp.

With a relentless hunger for piling up runs on the board, India went after Bangladesh bowlers and declared on a score of 285/9. Yashasvi Jaiswal (72 in 51 balls, with 12 fours and two sixes) and KL Rahul (68 in 43 balls, with seven fours and two sixes) hit quickfire fifties while Rohit (23), Virat Kohli (47) and Shubman Gill (39) also played quickfire knocks. Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Shakib al Hasan picked up four wickets each.

With a 52-run lead, India’s bowlers delivered a performance that forced the visitors to scamper for survival. Shadnam Islam did score a half-century, but Bangladesh folded on 146. Ashwin, Jadeja, and Bumrah got three scalps each.

India comfortably chased down the target of 95 runs and clinched a 7-wicket win on Tuesday, with Jaiswal (51 in 45 balls with eight fours and a six) and Virat (29 in 37 balls, with four boundaries) being key scorers. (ANI)